Mother-Son Movies

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TMP

I dedicate my submission to Wandering Through the Shelves’ Thursday Movie Picks this week to my own mom. She gave me life and unconditional love and, on Mother’s Day, I took her to brunch.

sixth sense

Toni Collette is no stranger to playing a mom with a lot on her plate but she’s never been in more over her head than in The Sixth Sense (1999)   Single mom Lynn Sear has no idea that her 10 year-old son can see dead people but she can tell that something not right with him. To me, her performance as a mother who just wants to help but doesn’t know how is the best part of the movie and Haley Joel Osment’s scenes with her are far more believeable than his with Bruce Willis. I expressed my enthusiasm for the final mother-son scene in the movie in 10 Movie Moments That Took My Breath Away.

Millions

Speaking of kids who see dead people, seven year-old Damian is frequently visited by dead saints in Millions (2004). There’s a whole lot going on in my personal favourite of Danny Boyle’s films but- for the purposes of our belated Mother’s Day- Damian’s obsessions with saints seems to come from the conviction that his recently deceased mother must be a saint now herself. The appearance of his newly-sainted mom at the end of the film is just plain beautiful.

squid and the whale

When his parents separate after 17 years of marraige, Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) defends his father (Jeff Daniels) and rejects his mother (Laura Linney) in The Squid and the Whale (2005). Walt idolizes his father so much that he basically becomes his clone. When following in his father’s footsteps starts getting him into trouble and he starts seeing his dad’s true colours, he is surprised to find himself thinking of treasured memories of his mother from long ago- before he had chosen sides.

15 thoughts on “Mother-Son Movies”

  2. mattasshole Post author

    It was tempting but I’m expecting everyone else to pick it. But yeah, definately a good example of a healthy relationship between mother and son that was an inspiration to all of us.

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    1. mattasshole Post author

      Actually, I pretty much agree on The Sixth Sense and I’m not the biggest fan of the gotcha ending but Collette’s last scene chokes me up every time.

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  6. joelnox

    The Sixth Sense is a great choice, I like the entire film but Toni Collette is so wonderful in all her scenes and of course killer in that final one in the car. Millions is a sweet film but I saw if so long ago I don’t have a clear memory of it although I do remember enough to know it’s a great fit for the theme. I’ve meant to see Squid & Whale-I love Laura Linney! but I’ve always been cool towards Jeff Daniels and that along with the grim looking tone has kept me from watching. Must correct that.

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    1. mattasshole Post author

      Same here for Millions. I actually used the theme this week as an excuse to re-watch it so that I would have something to say on it. Of my three choices this week, Squid is my favourite so I highly recommend giving it a watch. The characters are so… lived in, I guess is the expression. It makes for some pretty uncomfortable scenes. I thought both Daniels and Linney did great work in it.

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