Mother (1996/II)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Albert Brooks

Writers (WGA):

Albert Brooks (written by) &
Monica Mcgowan Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

25 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

No Actual Mothers Were Harmed During The Making Of This Motion Picture.

Plot:

A neurotic, twice divorced sci-fi writer moves back in with his mom to solve his personal problems.

Plot Keywords:

Neurotic | Dinner Date | Deadpan Humor | Gas Station | Video Telephone

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins

Cast

Paul Collins	...	Lawyer
Laura Weekes	...	Karen Henderson
Albert Brooks	...	John Henderson
John C. McGinley	...	Carl
Debbie Reynolds	...	Beatrice Henderson
Richard Assad	...	TV Installer
Joey Naber	...	TV Installer
Vanessa Williams	...	Donna
Lisa Kudrow	...	Linda
Rob Morrow	...	Jeff Henderson
Isabel Glasser	...	Cheryl Henderson
Danielle Quinn	...	Jill Henderson
Spencer Klein	...	Josh Henderson
Ernie Lively	...	Man at Rest Stop (as Ernie Brown)
Anne Haney	...	Helen

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual references.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:S | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Kentfield, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Since she had received no alimony from ex-husband Paul Simon, Albert Brooks asked good friend and daughter of the movie's star Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, if she would ask her ex to give Brooks the right to use an adapted version of his famous song "Mrs. Robinson", originally used in the film The Graduate (1967) along with his equally famous partner Art Garfunkel. As "Simon & Garfunkel", both artists refused to allow anyone use of their iconic song. In the early eighties, the duo were offered a lot of money to rework the song for a "Mr. Coffee" commercial. They refused that and all other offers. However, because of his relationship with Fisher, Simon agreed and the song was rewritten using the name "Mrs. Henderson" instead.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When John is reading his mothers transcript of the story she wrote in her youth we see that she has misspelled the name of the Whitman's candy company as Whittman.

Quotes:

John Henderson: I like my cheese in the ounces. When they start weighing as much as a Fiat, I get worried.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Mike Myers/Aerosmith (#22.16)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Land Of A Thousand Dances

The movie grows on you

I saw Mother in a theater and came away only partially impressed. Although I appreciated the witty script, I thought Brooks missed making his point about the complicated relationships between mothers and sons. However, I've warmed to this film after seeing it over and over on cable. The dialogue is great, and Brooks and Reynolds are a wonderful comic team. For example, I love the way Brooks wags a banana at Reynolds when she questions why women leave him. And it's hilarious when Brooks and his brother fight over Reynolds like she was their mistress. The ending is a little too pat -- I don't think sons ever resolve their conflicts with their mothers, or even understand them. But it's Brooks' best film after Lost in America. And that ain't bad.