The Mother

R

Released May 16, 2003

1 hr. 51 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

78%

91 Reviews

Tomatometer

63%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

May (Anne Reid) is a middle-aged grandmother who lives in Northern England with her husband, Toots (Peter Vaughan). When Toots dies while the couple is visiting their children in London, May begins to feel a sense of isolation and falls into a deep depression. Needing something new and vital to cling to, May takes refuge in the arms of Darren (Daniel Craig), a burly handyman who is not only half her age and married, but also sleeping with her daughter, Paula (Cathryn Bradshaw).

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Critics Consensus

Reid gives a fearless, realistic performance in depicting an older woman's sexual blossoming.

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Edward B

Very realistic acting and relatable family life and conversation. Slightly taboo subject for some.. no doubt (not me though however). Fantastic acting by Anne Reid produces a very strong lead performance in this film. The fact that younger men can be attracted to older women is becoming increasingly popular due to the modern women's complicated attitude.. however a calm submissive feminine women is really what all men desire

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/03/23

Full Review

matti k

Unbelievable rubbish, even on Netflix standards! It must have been trolls to rank this nonsense with four stars here in RT. Lousy acting, from under acting to over acting to no acting within seconds. Script is useless and plot has man size holes shot all over it. Only good part are the skillful snowmobile drivers at the end.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/14/23

Full Review

isla s

I quite liked this film in terms of its very humdrum setting. It takes a while for the plot to become apparant but in this instance its no bad thing. I thought it was a good character driven drama and I liked the way the camerawork is done, in a way which makes you (the viewer) feel like your peering in on the life of the houses occupants from the background. I thought it was surprisingly moving towardsa the end, although it is a bit of an uncomfortable watch at times due to the sexual element of it but its certainly not a film thats primarily about sex scenes - it didn't feel exploitative or very pornographic, thankfully, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend watching it in full with your own parents perhaps!. I thought it was interesting to see such a story portrayed from the point of view of the newly widowed mother. I remember I liked the subtle/low key music in the background at quiet moments. Both Anne Reid and Daniel Craig give decent performances and I would certainly recommend this to others, if it interests you. Its a film that may well make you think about family dynamics, loss/grief and self doubt to an extent, I suppose.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Covert narcissist story

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

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Audience Member

Would have given it 5 stars if they would have said Toots more often...............Toots

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Anne Reid sparkles in Roger Michell's slow-moving relationship drama.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

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Roger Michell

Director

Anne Reid

May

Daniel Craig

Darren

Steven Mackintosh

Bobby

Cathryn Bradshaw

Paula

Oliver Ford Davies

Bruce

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Neil Norman

London Evening Standard

Quite apart from her unclad courage in the sex scenes, 62-year-old Anne Reid conveys the dilemmas of her age and her hesitant path to liberation with extraordinary and moving subtlety.

Jan 11, 2018

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 2/5

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Eleanor Ringel Cater

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A troubling film about the need to be wanted.

Rated: B

Aug 26, 2004

Full Review

Kristin Battestella

InSession Film

The destructive performances make this an intriguing look at the unfortunate way we treat older relatives and how maturing sexuality and empowerment can disturb us.

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

All of it is ingeniously drawn to a close with an unexpected ending that is so powerful in its simplicity.

Apr 29, 2009

Full Review

Jim Lane

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 1/5

Aug 7, 2008

Full Review

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Synopsis

May (Anne Reid) is a middle-aged grandmother who lives in Northern England with her husband, Toots (Peter Vaughan). When Toots dies while the couple is visiting their children in London, May begins to feel a sense of isolation and falls into a deep depression. Needing something new and vital to cling to, May takes refuge in the arms of Darren (Daniel Craig), a burly handyman who is not only half her age and married, but also sleeping with her daughter, Paula (Cathryn Bradshaw).

Director: Roger Michell
Executive Producer: David M. Thompson, Tracey Scoffield, Angus Finney, Stephen Evans
Screenwriter: Hanif Kureishi
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: BBC, Renaissance Films
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Images of Sexuality|Brief Drug Use)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2019
Sound Mix: Surround