Mommie Dearest

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Carlos I Its staging is soo over-the-top and soap opera-ey that it's not hard to understand how the acting (which is actually terrifying) is just perceived as wild and campy. Dunaway is certainly hamming it up, but it doesn't actually feel that far off of how Crawford would have realistically behaved. It's easy to see how this became a camp cult classic though. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/06/24 Full Review Ray N An amazing blend of technical perfection and hightened performances. Joan Crawford becomes a movie monster on a par with JAWS, Bride of Frankenstein or Dracula. Faye Dunaway is perfect in this camp, cult classic. Critics were wrong as usual. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/24/24 Full Review V M Some believe it to be melodramatic and over-the-top, but have you ever met a drunk who is a successful actor in Hollywood? Maybe if you did you realize this probably isn’t far off. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/11/24 Full Review helder f This movie characterizes Joan as having strong narcissistic traits and some level of compulsions. It does a good job characterizing (as they are believable) interactions between a mother and a daughter, in which the mother appears for example envious or competitive in relation to the child or the mother is sadistic; and the child might have a bit difficult temperament. As much as the interactions are believable in their essence, Dunaway's acting is more a caricature than an accurate representation. I don't dislike the caricature; in fact it makes the movie have a sort of child like tone in the way Crawford's portrayed. At the same time, one could say that it makes the movie a bit campy and silly. - despite again the essence of her mind and behavior being well captured. The biggest flaw is not the acting, but the fact that movie is aimless and lacks a perspective point. Whose story is being depicted? What's the aim of this story? It's reasonable for an adult to look back into their childhood and retell their experiences, but that's not enough for a movie. A movie needs a narrative with an aim and with a set perspective. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 04/09/24 Full Review David W Mommie Dearest has earned its cult following for its dramatic performances centered on a truly remarkable, transformative performance by Faye Dunaway. Anyone with an overbearing or abusive mother will find catharsis in the story. I would absolutely watch this again. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/16/24 Full Review Jeff M No one is ever going to confuse MOMMIE DEAREST with high art. And obviously we'll never know the accuracy of the events portrayed. But watching this is one hell of an entertainment. Of course, much of that entertainment is derived from laughing at the over the top acting and the bad soap opera level dialogue - so I guess this is the poster child for so bad it's good cinema. Love her or hate her, Dunaway's performance can accurately be described as ferocious. She truly seems possessed by the spirit of Joan Crawford. Scarwid, as the older Christina, is actively bad, but again in a highly enjoyable way. Their climactic fight scene is pure camp and you might find yourself rewinding it a few times. I must say, watching it as an older and hopefully wiser 46 year old, some of the scenes involving Crawford and young Christina (well played by Mara Hobel) are a bit more disturbing than I remembered. And the film kinda poops out around the 3/4 mark. But for the most part, this is the ultimate I-know-I-shouldn't-keep-watching-but-I-just-can't-help-myself movie extravaganza. And you'll likely clear your closet of any wire hangers immediately after the closing credits. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Mommie Dearest

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