The Second Mother

R

Released Aug 28, 2015

1h 52m

Drama

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The Second Mother: Trailer

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Tomatometer

93 Reviews

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Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

Unspoken class barriers that exist within a home come crashing down when the live-in housekeeper's daughter suddenly appears.

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Critics Consensus

The Second Mother's compelling characters serve an artfully drawn, thought-provoking story that's beautifully brought to life by a talented cast.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

Writer/director Anna Muylaert's beautifully shot, frequently comical take on the 'second mother' phenomenon sets the film apart from other explorations of similar material.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 2, 2016

Full Review

Stephanie Merry

Washington Post

All the elements of the story fit impeccably together for a humorous and occasionally wrenching examination of relationships.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 24, 2015

Full Review

Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

The characters are so accustomed to keeping up appearances that they can't bring themselves to say what's bugging them. Their interactions may be mild, but the claustrophobic imagery creates the sense of being trapped in a powder keg.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 17, 2015

Full Review

Jennifer Merin

AWFJ.org

Brazilian filmmaker Anna Muylaert's The Second Mother is a beautifully crafted drama about the interaction between wealthy urban Latin American families and their maids, most of whom come from impoverished rural environments.

Oct 12, 2021

Full Review

Nikki Baughan

AWFJ.org

Muylaert's expert, nuanced exploration of inter-familial relationships, particularly those between women, is a joy to behold, played beautifully by the exceptional cast.

Sep 29, 2021

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Muylaert makes it very moving with his observation on mother-to-child relationships. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Jul 21, 2020

Full Review

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rochany S

Maravilhoso, uma crítica social sensacional e foda.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/15/24

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Marco B

I loved it, simply AMAZING, the film addresses several important issues, with incredible delicacy and sensitivity. He manages to show the reality of Brazil in a raw and sensitive way, and in a sensitive and realistic way, I don't understand how there are so many people who have never seen this work, Regina Casé's performance is simply incredible, she manages to give depth and authenticity to the character which is CRAZY, the way she portrays Val is so natural and engaging that it's impossible not to get emotional. The direction is magnificent, it manages to show the different perspectives of the characters without ever getting lost in the narrative. The film is technically impeccable, the photography is beautiful and the soundtrack complements it perfectly, it is a film that touches the heart and the mind, and that deserves to be seen and discussed, not only as entertainment, but also as a form of reflection and awareness. , there is one of the proofs that when Brazilian cinema wants to make a film with personality, it succeeds.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/05/23

Full Review

Vito

O filme me fez chorar mt pika

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Second Mother is a brilliant movie that exposes the Brazilian reality of how northeastern and housekeepers are treat in upper and middle class houses. The movie starts with Val going to pick up her daughter, Jessica, at the airport and presenting her to her employers. Val, who had lived for a long time with that family, treats them with love and affection as if they are family. But when Jessica comes to live with her, the girl realizes that both are treated with disdain and ulterior motives. Personally, it is sad to watch how Val is treated and not notice anything until her daughter arrives to help her to be free and enjoy her life, but it's also necessary to show how the Northeasterners and the working class are treated until today.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The award-winning film "A segunda mãe" ("Que horas ela volta?"), was released in 2015 and directed by Anna Muylaert, with Regina Casé as the protagonist and screenwriter. "A segunda mãe" ("Que horas ela volta?") tells the story of Val, a northeastern woman who moved to São Paulo in search of a job, leaving her young daughter Jessica behind. In São Paulo, Val works as a domestic servant for a family, raises Fabinho, son of the couple for whom she works, and lives in the employers' house. Val used to work 24 hours a day, every day of the week, in a situation that has many similarities with the work done in other times by the enslaved black women. It is a painful film, which brings clear criticisms about the difference between social classes, emigration, prejudices and xenophobia and the fantasy of meritocracy. "A Segunda mãe" ("Que horas ela volta?") is a film that denounces several social problems of Brazil, but extols and encourages women like Val to come out of invisibility and have their humanity and value fully recognized. We still have a long way to go in this direction as a society, but this movie, with all the repercussion and discussion it has generated, can be considered a small step in the right direction.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

In addition to promoting a debate about the relationship between mothers and their children, this production mainly addresses issues of class, showing two different realities of life (employer / employee).

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

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Anna Muylaert

Director

Regina Casé

Val

Michel Joelsas

Fabinho

Lourenço Mutarelli

Carlos

Karine Teles

Barbara

Camila Márdila

Jéssica

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The Second Mother: Trailer

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Synopsis

Unspoken class barriers that exist within a home come crashing down when the live-in housekeeper's daughter suddenly appears.

Director: Anna Muylaert
Producer: Claudia Büschel, Caio Gullane
Screenwriter: Anna Muylaert
Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Production Co: Gullane, Africa Filmes, Globo Filmes
Rating: R (Some Language|Brief Drug Use)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Portuguese (Brazil)
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 28, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 24, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $375.7K
Runtime: 1h 52m

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