Movie commentary/review

Garry Marshall has been directing movies about special days recently. Whatever the reason for that, I do not know, but it has a nice cogency about it. His last two movies were New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day and his latest is called Mother’s Day (2016, USA).

Marshall also has a penchant for directing movies about women, as well as special calendar days.

One of his most popular films was Pretty Woman which starred Julia Roberts as an escort to a business man played by Richard Gere. Pretty Woman was tasteful despite the borderline premise.

Tasteful typifies Marshall’s brand of comedy and love story. Marshall prefers feelings and sentiment or heart-to-heart. It’s a style that has won him an audience and in the case of Pretty Woman a lucrative one.

Mother’s Day features a big cast like an ensemble in a Robert Altman or Woody Allen film, but without the sophistication.

In Mother’s Day, several stories about mothers and children lead up to a Mother’s Day event.

Miranda (Julia Roberts) is career-minded and focused and life revolves around work at the expense of a social life. Things gets complicated around Mother’s Day for her.

Kristin (Britt Robertson) and Zack (Jack Whitehall) are living together with child, but Zack wants marriage. Kristin is holding back for personal reasons.

Jesse (Kate Hudson) has been keeping secrets from her husband Russell (Aasif Mandiv). Jesse’s Texan parents Flo (Margo Martindale) and Earl (Robert Pine) are largely the reason for the secrecy, but they are coming to celebrate Mother’s Day. Things will get complicated in familiar ways.

By far, the best thing in Mother’s Day is the story of Sandy (Jennifer Aniston).

Sandy was married to Henry (Timothy Olyphant) who has a new and younger partner, Tina (Shay Mitchell). Sandy’s children—Mikey (Caleb Brown) and Peter (Brandon Spink)—are in and out of her life.

Aniston brings humanity to her role. Sandy struggles with being second fiddle in Henry’s life, but she has resilience and doesn’t lose the plot despite being suddenly single.

Most of all, she’s a mother who indescribably loves her children.

The true touch in the film is when undervalued and overworked Sandy is given her Mother’s Day’s gifts, a makeshift card and a Mr. Potato head. They are hardly wonderful gifts, but Sandy takes it with grace and love.

That’s why Mother’s Day celebrates mothers in a sentimental, warm fuzzy and good natured way. Mothers can love unconditionally even when the quality of giving to them is mediocre at best.