The Mother

MORE SPOILER-FREE MINI-REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/mini-reviews-2023-edition "The Mother is an instantly forgettable Netflix film about a spy mother who must protect her estranged daughter because "bad people from the past". Jennifer Lopez is good, Lucy Paez is GREAT, but none save it from its bland, generic story. Expected more from Niki Caro." Rating: D+

Ironically, these tale about a mother and daughter, fails because the male characters have no depth. The villain is evil sure, but also extremely stupid and escaping from her first attempt to kill him in a very unbelievable and unexplained way. The romantic tension between Cruise and the mother also doesn't work and the age old friendship with Jons is also not given any backstory. I'm enclined to blame the casting here. Well, the story was lacking and oddly edited as well, but it may be because there wasn't much to work with. Either way, it's clear this is supposed to be about a mother/daug…

The Movie Mob

2023-05-19

⭐ 6

**The Mother is an average straight-to-stream action thriller that does a decent job but won’t last too long in your memory or heart.** The Mother is a generic assassin turned parent protecting/avenging their child from a mob of drug runners/arms dealers. While in the vein of films like Taken or Peppermint, The Mother makes a critical error the other films didn’t - a 2-hour runtime. Its bigger budget made this movie feel slightly more polished, but stretching its meager story 30 minutes longer than many in this subgenre took its toll. The pacing dragged along between the action sequences, s…

In spite of the rather, by now, predictable and formulaic story, woke-ness and a dash of US exceptionalism (for those paying attention) The Mother does have something to offer the viewer. The first thing, is surprisingly engaging acting, from Jennifer Lopez. I'd always associated her with music, although I was aware of her forays into acting, over the years. Lopez hands in an above average performance as a assassin, with mothering instincts. Lopez's chemistry with Lucy Paez, who plays her her daughter, really binds this film together and elevates it, beyond its otherwise pedestrian cre…