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Mother’s Day, Review: Mom Com

Mother of two sons and a dedicated wife, philandering husband falling for sexy new babe, grieving widower raising two daughters, an aging couple who discover that they have an Indian for a son-in-law and a woman for the other daughter’s partner, an out-of-wedlock abandoned child of a mother who is now a TV celebrity...all set for a Mom Com, made for, and aimed at, Mother’s Day. Well, it could have been a Rom Com, except for the fact that so many of the women are married, and mothers. Add some genuine joie de vivre, and some not so genuine teary stuff, that is what you have on offer in Mother’s Day. It almost works, till you realise that the plot is playing to stereo-types, and when it does get into some off-beat humour, it goes over-board.

Four writers have pooled their penmanship for this day: Tom Hines, (director Marshall’s regular actor gets a writing break), Lily Hollander (her first too), Anya Kochoff (earlier wrote Monster-in-Law), Matthew Walker (Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve). Sometimes, such a coming together also results in too many characters as well as fluctuations in plot flow. Superficially, the characters blend seamlessly, but on deeper insight, they are parallels strung together. Marshall is the man who made Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve, and two of the four writers are part of his retinue. Over the last 3-4 years, an increasing number of Hollywood films have shown a penchant for story-lines that were common in the Hindi cinema of the 50s and 60s. The Mumbai film industry has tried to resurrect it time and again, in the last 50 years, with little success. It is very likely that these tropes came from Hollywood in the first place, so they have an equal right to hark back to them.

Garry Kent Maschiarelli ‘Marshall’ (New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, The Princess Diaries I and II, Runaway Bride, Pretty Woman) has done some great work, and was instrumental in shaping Julia Roberts’ career. After Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve, his third, day-based outing comes when he turns 82. Treatment-wise, there is a sensitivity that you find in the films of many female directors. An all-star cast, many from Marshall’s earlier credits, and some highly talented debutants, manage to induct some warmth and both, subtle as well as blasé, comedy. In the end, a lot of it turns out to be simplistic and predictable. He has it in him, and a Labor Day or Boxing Day or Father’s Day cannot be ruled out. But will it get any fresher? That will depend upon the script, more than Garry Marshall.

Jennifer Aniston (Horrible Bosses, I and II, The Switch, The Bounty Hunter, Love Happens, He's Just Not That into You) is the chubby and gullible mother of two sons, Sandy. Cute face but age catching-up, are features that go well with her character. Timothy Olyphant (The Crazies, Elektra Luxx, I Am Number Four) is her wayward husband, Henry, with only the anatomical display of a girl named Tina to justify his straying. Tina is Shay Mitchell (born in Canada to a Filipina mother and a Scot-Irish-Hispanic father; first feature release), and is comfortable as the sex-kitten, but gropes (reverse pun not intended) her way around the non-sexy scenes.

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman, Sleeping with the Enemy, Notting Hill, Runaway Bride, Erin Brockovich, Valentine's Day, Eat Pray Love, August: Osage County) plays Miranda, the TV host who anchors a women’s products marketing channel and is a household name because of it. She has nothing much to do for most of the film, but has her five minutes of glory towards the end. The character seems to have been modelled after Joan Collins, though not look-wise. Kate Hudson (daughter of Academy Award–winning actress Goldie Hawn and actor Bill Hudson; Italian, Hungarian Jewish, English and German blood) is the woman who has secretly married an Indian, against her parents’ wishes, and therefore keeps avoiding them. Hudson is able to come out both strong and vulnerable. As the man in her life, Russell, Aasif Mandvi (Aasif Hakim Mandviwala, born in Mumbai, from the Dawoodi Bohra community of Indian Muslims, lived in England, father moved to the US; Die Hard With a Vengeance, Spiderman 2, Million Dollar Arm) is so-so.

Cameron Esposito (Sleight, First Girl I Loved, Operator) as the manly partner of the two lesbians, Max, has a brief role, and carries it well. Initially seen only on Skype, Margo Martindale (Dead Man Walking, Hannah Montana: The Movie, August-Osage County) as Flo, the mother of the two women who spring shocks on her, and Robert Pine (Independence Day, Jobs, Decoding Annie Parker) as her husband, Earl, make a couple of bubbly seniors. As Bradley’s late wife, Dada, who appears in videos and pictures only, Jennifer Garner (Valentine’s Day, Dallas Buyers Club, Danny Collins) has a cameo.

Jason Sudeikis (The Bounty Hunter, A Good, Old-fashioned Orgy, Horrible Bosses 2), as the gym instructor single father, has talent, part of it wasted in stock expressions and stilted dialogue delivery. Ella Anderson (Scream 4, Tomorrowland) is cast as Vicky, Bradley’s teenage daughter, whose personal hygiene requirements embarrass him no end, and whose romantic interest at this early age bothers him too. Their scenes together could have been better written and better directed. Watch out for Jack Whitehall (Zack), Brit to the core, and immensely talented. The stand-up comic act was not up to the mark, yet he showed great presence. And don’t miss the little gig performed by Vicky’s tiny black friend, Ariana Neal. Marshall’s camera stays on her much after the scene has ended.

Coming from the giant womb designed by two women in the film as an exhibit for Mother’s Day, this delivery is normal. The baby appeared to have potential, but at the end of 118 minutes, we did not see too much of it.

Rating: ** ½

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zc8aupzxTs