Stepmom

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Stepmom

PG-13

1998

2h 4m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

45%

Tomatometer

92 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Three years after divorcing Jackie (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his children, Luke Harrison (Ed Harris) decides to take the next step with his significantly younger girlfriend, fashion photographer Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts). But, when the flaky Kelly meets Harrison's children for the first time, their fierce allegiance to their mother is obvious. Try as she might, Kelly fails to endear herself to her young charges -- and to Jackie -- until a looming family crisis changes everything.

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Critics Consensus

Solid work from Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon isn't enough to save Stepmom from a story whose manipulations dilute the effectiveness of a potentially affecting drama.

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Terry Lawson

Detroit Free Press

We are coddled with bittersweet cocoa, dazzled with movie-star melodramatics and then trotted off to warm beds with assurance that as hard as life may get, there will always be a movie to trivialize our pain.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 5, 2023

Full Review

Jami Bernard

New York Daily News

It's a lovely daydream, made lovelier by the fiercely maternal performance of Sarandon as a lioness protecting her cubs, and Julia Roberts as a mass of insecurity trying to measure up to impossible standards.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 2, 2019

Full Review

Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

Well, if unearned pathos is your cup of tea, drink up.

Apr 1, 2019

Full Review

Rene Rodriguez

Miami Herald

Premature death has long been a screenwriter's crutch, but it's rarely felt as annoying as it does here.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 5, 2023

Full Review

Sean P. Means

Salt Lake Tribune

The saddest thing about Stepmom is that so many good actors are laid waste to this sappy and unrelenting melodrama. A waste of talent of this magnitude is really something to cry about.

Rated: 1.5/4

Jan 4, 2023

Full Review

Rachel Wagner

Hallmarkies Podcast

It earns its tears with great performances and good writing

Rated: 7.5/10

Jan 22, 2021

Full Review

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Kim C

While it may stretch credibility a bit - in terms of how a movie needs to have a beginning, middle, and an end, it is well performed, lovely to watch, sentimental (but not dreary) and a favorite. Plus Ed Harris is very attractive in a leading man role!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/16/25

Full Review

Aylin B

This movie had no right making me feel that sad.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

Full Review

Melissa M

Ed Harris, Julia Roberts, and Susan sarandon give stellar performances in this movie. It's a heartwarming movie. It's got a good mix of drama, comedy & heartfelt moments. This movie really captures the life of a divorce couple going through trials and tribulations. And what a lot of stepmothers go through when they become part of a nuclear family . This movie is definitely worth watching more than once.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/05/25

Full Review

Geo3 F

I watch this film because of a friend recommendation and I was pleasantly surprise of how solid this film is. Julia Roberts goes a great job carrying this film and in some ways this is her film, although cheesy in many aspects that give out its release time; it's pretty good to today standards. I love the idea of this film and some ways it will impact more on the female side than male but its still pretty good overall for both genders to enjoy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/25

Full Review

Xavier T

This movie made me get divorced again for the fourth time. Would recommend, Its a shotty peice of work and deserves to never see the light of day, while watching this I imagined the dad as the director so then he would be the one to die.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/01/24

Full Review

Stéphane O

A soft movie. Julia is great in this one. Gen loved it a lot.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/18/24

Full Review

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Chris Columbus

Director

Julia Roberts

Isabel Kelly

Susan Sarandon

Jackie Harrison

Ed Harris

Luke Harrison

Jena Malone

Anna Harrison

Liam Aiken

Ben Harrison

Stepmom: Official Clip - Ain't No Mountain High Enough

2:57

Stepmom: Official Clip - Isabel's Plan Works

1:59

Stepmom: Official Clip - You Have Made My Life So Wonderful

2:28

Stepmom: Official Clip - Losing Ben

2:46

Stepmom: Official Clip - Underlying Hostility

2:33

Stepmom: Official Clip - Mommy's Sick

2:11

Stepmom: Official Clip - Are You Dying?

2:53

Stepmom: Official Clip - The Worst Day Until Now

1:54

Stepmom: Official Clip - You Have Their Future

3:14

Stepmom: Official Clip - Will You Marry Me?

2:42

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Synopsis

Three years after divorcing Jackie (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his children, Luke Harrison (Ed Harris) decides to take the next step with his significantly younger girlfriend, fashion photographer Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts). But, when the flaky Kelly meets Harrison's children for the first time, their fierce allegiance to their mother is obvious. Try as she might, Kelly fails to endear herself to her young charges -- and to Jackie -- until a looming family crisis changes everything.

Director: Chris Columbus
Producer: Wendy Finerman, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan
Screenwriter: Jessie Nelson, Gigi Levangie, Steven Rogers, Ronald Bass, Karen Leigh Hopkins
Production Co: 1492 Pictures, TriStar Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $91.0M
Runtime: 2h 4m
Sound Mix: Surround

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