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Motherhood

  • 20092009
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Motherhood (2009)
In New York, blogger/parent Eliza Welsh (Thurman) desperately tries to manage two significant events: preparations for her daughter's sixth birthday party and the completion of an essay that might result in a lucrative new job.
Play trailer2:32
1 Video
30 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama

In Manhattan, a mother of two preparing for her daughter's sixth birthday party has no idea of the challenges she's about to face in order to pull off the event.In Manhattan, a mother of two preparing for her daughter's sixth birthday party has no idea of the challenges she's about to face in order to pull off the event.In Manhattan, a mother of two preparing for her daughter's sixth birthday party has no idea of the challenges she's about to face in order to pull off the event.

IMDb RATING
4.6/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Katherine Dieckmann
  • Writer
    • Katherine Dieckmann
  • Stars
    • Uma Thurman
    • Anthony Edwards
    • Minnie Driver
Top credits
  • Director
    • Katherine Dieckmann
  • Writer
    • Katherine Dieckmann
  • Stars
    • Uma Thurman
    • Anthony Edwards
    • Minnie Driver
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 26User reviews
    • 41Critic reviews
    • 34Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Motherhood
    Trailer 2:32
    Motherhood

    Photos30

    Uma Thurman, Minnie Driver, and Aunjanue Ellis in Motherhood (2009)
    Uma Thurman in Motherhood (2009)
    Uma Thurman in Motherhood (2009)
    Uma Thurman and Minnie Driver in Motherhood (2009)
    Katherine Dieckmann in Motherhood (2009)
    Katherine Dieckmann in Motherhood (2009)
    Uma Thurman in Motherhood (2009)
    Motherhood (2009)
    Motherhood (2009)
    Uma Thurman in Motherhood (2009)
    Uma Thurman in Motherhood (2009)
    Uma Thurman in Motherhood (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Uma Thurman
    Uma Thurman
    • Elizaas Eliza
    Anthony Edwards
    Anthony Edwards
    • Averyas Avery
    Minnie Driver
    Minnie Driver
    • Sheilaas Sheila
    David Schallipp
    • Lucasas Lucas
    Matthew Schallipp
    • Lucasas Lucas
    Daisy Tahan
    Daisy Tahan
    • Claraas Clara
    Alice Drummond
    Alice Drummond
    • Edithas Edith
    Stephanie Szostak
    Stephanie Szostak
    • French Neighboras French Neighbor
    Celina Vignaud
    • Her Daughteras Her Daughter
    Dale Soules
    Dale Soules
    • Hesteras Hester
    James Lecesne
    James Lecesne
    • Annoyed Manas Annoyed Man
    Marceline Hugot
    Marceline Hugot
    • Curious Touristas Curious Tourist
    Victor Colicchio
    Victor Colicchio
    • Roofer in Truckas Roofer in Truck
    Brian Tarantina
    Brian Tarantina
    • Opera Lover in Caras Opera Lover in Car
    Kerry Bishé
    Kerry Bishé
    • Good Sharing Momas Good Sharing Mom
    Betsy Aidem
    Betsy Aidem
    • Jordan's Momas Jordan's Mom
    Neal Huff
    Neal Huff
    • Stay-at-Home Dadas Stay-at-Home Dad
    Orlagh Cassidy
    Orlagh Cassidy
    • Scarsdale Momas Scarsdale Mom
    • Director
      • Katherine Dieckmann
    • Writer
      • Katherine Dieckmann
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Eliza Kendall Welch (Uma Thurman), mother of, Clara, and Lucas, lives with her spouse, Avery McKendrik (Anthony Edwards), in an Manhattan apartment. Today is May 25th, Clara's 6th birthday, and she has to make arrangements for a party, as well as attend to day-to-day chores, including Blogging, and entering an online contest 'Motherhood', and looking after her invalid elderly neighbor and a dog. Things will slowly get out of hand after her car gets towed due to a film shooting; the tire on her bike gets punctured; she alienates herself from her friend, Sheila (Minnie Driver); Clara's name is misspelled on the cake; while Avery refuses to answer his cell-phone. After being assisted by a delivery man, Nikesh (Arjun Gupta), who finds her attractive, she concludes she has had enough, and decides not to return home. —rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)
    • pacifier
    • woman wears eyeglasses
    • mother
    • birthday
    • birthday party
    • 19 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • There are no time-outs in...
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG-13 for language, sexual references and a brief drug comment
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Grossed $100,000 in the USA in 2009 and, in its UK opening weekend, took a total of £88 - equating to about 11 tickets sold, allegedly making this the lowest grossing film ever released in the UK.
    • Goofs
      Eliza refers to Pylon as "The Pylons".
    • Quotes

      Woman in Bakery Line: You have to admit it's your own fault. If you have named her Sophie or Ella you wouldn't be having this problem. But you gave her an Edna name.

      Eliza: A what?

      Woman in Bakery Line: You know, an Edna name? Like Mabel or Agnes or Velma...

      Bakery Clerk: Yeah like lesbian librarian names.

      Woman in Bakery Line: Don't you read the Crankypants Post? She did a whole thing last week about names, it was genius.

      Eliza: Well, yes, I mean I do read her but I like other parenting blogs better. What about Bjorn Identity?

      Woman in Bakery Line: That woman is so... I dunno. I think she's a feminist.

      Eliza: Well, what could be worse than that? Anyway, Clara is not an Edna name, right?

      Woman in Bakery Line: Let me guess, you named her after your favourite grandmother?

      Eliza: Stop.

    • Connections
      Featured in Late Show with David Letterman: Episode #17.29 (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Skip to My Lou
      Traditional

      Arranged by Joe Henry

      Performed by Syd Straw

    User reviews26

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    slight but sometimes perceptive look at harried motherhood
    Eliza Welsh is what one of the characters in "Motherhood" refers to derisively as an "urban mom." That is to say a young woman who lives in an upscale part of town (in this case, Greenwich Village), has a hoard of New Age-y mom friends who obsess over the ins-and-outs of successful childrearing, and herself hosts a blog dedicated to - what else? - how to survive the rigors of young motherhood without sacrificing one's identity as a woman, as a wife and as an individual. It's a battle that Eliza seems to be losing at the moment, but at least she's giving it the old college try.

    Written and directed by Katherine Dieckmann, this seriocomic tale takes place on the day before Eliza's oldest child is to turn six. Filled with mixed emotions at the event and saddled with a husband (Anthony Edwards) who seems more focused on his own needs than those of his wife, Eliza struggles with arranging a birthday party, dodging parking tickets, coping with a studio-shoot on her street, looking out for her elderly neighbor, and raising a toddler - all while trying to carve out a little time for herself to write and to do all the things adults (those without children, at least) normally do in the course of their days.

    Dieckmann's screenplay is filled with both poignancy and humor as it deftly explores the life of this harried mother. Uma Thurman, in a tour-de-force performance, captures both the manic energy and utter exhaustion of the nonstop merry-go-round that her character finds herself riding on; and she is fully supported by Edwards as her husband, Minnie Driver as her closest girlfriend, and Arjun Fupta ("Nurse Jackie") as a sexy delivery boy who, for a brief moment at least, allows Eliza to let her hair down a bit and to see the heart of the vibrant, sexy, carefree woman that still beats beneath all the motherly obsessions and concerns.

    Although it's ultimately a bit too slight in the drama department for it to rise much above the level of a bemusing curiosity, "Motherhood" still has some valid insights to make about its subject.
    helpful•2
    1
    • Buddy-51
    • Apr 8, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 28, 2009 (Spain)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Материнство
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • John Wells Productions
      • Killer Films
      • iDeal Partners Film Fund
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $93,388
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $50,081
      • Oct 25, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $726,936
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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