**This review is contributed by Super Channel—a channel dedicated to providing integrity and accountability in today’s entertainment.
This movie is about a serious family subject, but with humor and a great script, that brings a jolting awareness to taking things for granted at a mother’s expense. Excellent performances with actors true to their characters, this well-written script produces a great movie highlighting the importance of appreciating a mother’s sacrifices and commitment. And as two old friends contemplate each other’s lifestyle choices, they must be cautious of the saying, ”the grass is greener on the other side of the fence”.. Laura and Trish will each be faced with crucial choices that will determine their happiness for the rest of their lives.
Laura Miller (Bonnie Somerville) is a hard-working mom, catering to her family and picking up after her husband and two teenage kids. She gave up her architectural career and dreams of building magnificent structures in foreign countries to building a family instead. Single unencumbered Trish Danville (Ona Grauer), Laura’s glamorous world-travelling architect best friend, is home for 3 days… which just happens to be Mother’s Day weekend.
Arriving home after a fabulous lunch with Trish at a posh restaurant, Laura trips over the kids’ stuff strewn in the doorway. Her husband, Michael (James Tupper) is on the phone yet again, and Laura flops into a chair realizing she is invisible… lost dreams and a husband who doesn’t want to go dancing because he “doesn’t feel like it”… And, that trip to Paris? Well, sorry, clients come first. And when she discovers the kids have eaten the bake sale layer cake that took hours to prepare, it’s the last straw and Laura loses it! She tells her shocked family she is taking Mother’s Day weekend off and staying with Trish.
Shopping, spa pampering, massages, sauna, facial, meditation, professional makeup, beautiful clothes, fancy restaurants, karaoke bar, Laura is feeling beautiful and like her old self once again. When Michael and the kids try calling Laura, her phone keeps going to voicemail. In his desperation, Michael drives to the resort where Laura is staying to entice her to come home. But when he arrives and sees how happy and amazing Laura looks while consulting on a big architectural project, and she announces she is staying to do a presentation, he reluctantly must leave without her. Arriving home, Michael takes charge and, together, he and the kids come to terms with a long overdue new set of rules on how to appreciate their mother and bring the family closer together.
This film is Dove-approved for All Ages.
The Dove Take:
Calling every mom who loves her family dearly but feels unappreciated, and every family member who insensitively contributes to that feeling! Make this your next family movie night– you won’t regret it!