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Mother

  • 19961996
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
6.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds in Mother (1996)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer2:28
1 Video
20 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama

A neurotic, twice-divorced sci-fi writer moves back in with his mother to solve his personal problems.A neurotic, twice-divorced sci-fi writer moves back in with his mother to solve his personal problems.A neurotic, twice-divorced sci-fi writer moves back in with his mother to solve his personal problems.

IMDb RATING
6.9/10
6.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Albert Brooks
  • Writers
    • Albert Brooks
    • Monica Mcgowan Johnson
  • Stars
    • Albert Brooks
    • Debbie Reynolds
    • Paul Collins
Top credits
  • Director
    • Albert Brooks
  • Writers
    • Albert Brooks
    • Monica Mcgowan Johnson
  • Stars
    • Albert Brooks
    • Debbie Reynolds
    • Paul Collins
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 57User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:28
    Official Trailer

    Photos20

    Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds in Mother (1996)
    Debbie Reynolds in Mother (1996)
    Rob Morrow in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks, Rob Morrow, and Debbie Reynolds in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks and Lisa Kudrow in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks and Rob Morrow in Mother (1996)
    Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds in Mother (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Albert Brooks
    Albert Brooks
    • John Hendersonas John Henderson
    Debbie Reynolds
    Debbie Reynolds
    • Beatrice Hendersonas Beatrice Henderson
    Paul Collins
    • Lawyeras Lawyer
    Laura Weekes
    • Karen Hendersonas Karen Henderson
    John C. McGinley
    John C. McGinley
    • Carlas Carl
    Richard Assad
    Richard Assad
    • TV Installeras TV Installer
    Joey Naber
    Joey Naber
    • TV Installeras TV Installer
    Vanessa Williams
    Vanessa Williams
    • Donnaas Donna
    Lisa Kudrow
    Lisa Kudrow
    • Lindaas Linda
    Rob Morrow
    Rob Morrow
    • Jeff Hendersonas Jeff Henderson
    Isabel Glasser
    Isabel Glasser
    • Cheryl Hendersonas Cheryl Henderson
    Danielle Quinn
    • Jill Hendersonas Jill Henderson
    Spencer Klein
    • Josh Hendersonas Josh Henderson
    Anne Haney
    Anne Haney
    • Helenas Helen
    Billye Ree Wallace
    • Aliceas Alice
    James Gleason
    James Gleason
    • Waiteras Waiter
    Matt Nolan
    Matt Nolan
    • 'Gap' Salesmanas 'Gap' Salesman
    Harry Hutchinson
    • Pet Store Salesmanas Pet Store Salesman
    • Director
      • Albert Brooks
    • Writers
      • Albert Brooks
      • Monica Mcgowan Johnson
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    After two failed marriages, a science fiction writer (Brooks) decides coming to terms with his mom will improve his chances for a successful relationship, so he moves in with his mom (Reynolds). —JG <jmgrant@SoCA.com>
    • triangulation
    • narcissism
    • blonde stereotype
    • reference to 2001 a space odyssey
    • gossip
    • 46 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • No Actual Mothers Were Harmed During The Making Of This Motion Picture.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG-13 for some sexual references
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Since she had received no alimony from ex-husband Paul Simon, Albert Brooks asked good friend (and daughter of the movie's star Debbie Reynolds), Carrie Fisher, if she would ask her ex to give Brooks the right to use an adapted version of his famous song "Mrs. Robinson", which had originally been used in the film The Graduate (1967). Both Simon and his equally famous partner Art Garfunkel had previously refused to allow anyone to use their iconic song. For instance, in the early eighties, the duo were offered a lot of money to rework the song for a "Mr. Coffee" commercial. They refused that and all other offers. However, because of his relationship with Fisher, Simon agreed, and the song was rewritten using the name "Mrs. Henderson" instead.
    • Goofs
      The "original" baseball card that Jeff tells John is worth $50,000 clearly has the words "Reprint Series" visible on the back, which means it wouldn't be worth more than one dollar in 1996.
    • Quotes

      Carl: Maybe you shouldn't get married anymore.

      John Henderson: I want kids.

      Carl: Well, adopt.

      John Henderson: I want to pass down my seed.

      Carl: Masturbate in the garden.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Michael/Mother/The People vs. Larry Flynt/The Evening Star/The Portrait of a Lady/I'm Not Rappaport (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Mrs. Robinson
      by Paul Simon

      Special lyrics by Albert Brooks & Monica Mcgowan Johnson (as Monica Johnson)

      Performed by Steve Lively & Jess Harnell

      Produced by Marc Shaiman

    User reviews57

    Review
    Top review
    A boy's best friend is his mother?
    I normally don't like Albert Brooks comedies because his humor is subtle, and sometimes, so sarcastic that it seems to me, that he tries too hard. He often comes off like a gigantic dufus who's every character, is always the over-looked, but honest and quite nice guy (see Broadcast News). Here, he is once again, the same character.

    However, in watching this movie with my folks, I found it to be quite a funny little comedy about a grown man who tries to connect with his mother. Brooks plays John, a writer who is recently divorced. Suffering from writer's block, probably due to his recent 'problems,' he decides that he needs some sort of emotionally reinvigorating experience. One in which he is in search of "something," but he doesn't really know what it is. Sort of like, he'll know it when it happens.

    He goes to spend some time with his widowed mother, Beatrice, played by the lovely Debbie Reynolds. They seem like exact opposites, she is timid, and somewhat flaky. He is rather pushy, and often, sarcastic. She appears more provincial; he comes off as more modern. It doesn't seem like they're related at first, because they're so different.

    What might've started as a desire to find some inspriation to write by cooling off from a divorce, becomes a 360 drive to reconnect with his mother, and work out their innocuous differences in personality, outlook, humor, and so forth, until mother and son finally understand one another. This may not be clear to either intially that this will eventually be the ends to the vacation.

    Rob Morrow plays John's equally annoying brother, a "mama's boy" type who frequently contacts Beatrice, trying to get her to be more modern and everything else like John does, but at the same time, not trying so hard to force it on her, and also, not trying like John to resolve anything laden in their relationship that may be troubling them. Though, it seems to be suggested that there is a slight "Oedepis Complex." But, Rob Morrow is only a subplot, and kind of an aggravating character at that. Beatrice seems so pleasant, and so well...motherly.

    The strange reformations that John and his mother take on are quite amusing. The bit, for example, in the beginning when John first arrives at his mother's house, and she doesn't seem to have anything he likes to eat. Or, when they go to the mall together, and he tries to stop her from always feeling obligated to explain everything to strangers (like her son is a middle aged divorced man with writer's block). It's really cute. According to the trivia, Nancy Reagan was considered for Debbie Renynolds' role, which would've probably been played wonderfully by her. Some of things that Reynolds's (like the restaurant scene) is hilarious with the cursing and all of that as she becomes impatient with her son John's wanting to change her every moment.

    Basically, the whole movie is Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds. John McGinnley and Lisa Kudrow show up for a minute role as the best friend and blind date (respectively). It might be worth watching for older audiences. I watched it with my folks, and they really seemd to enjoy it (they usually don't like Albert Brooks movies, either). It's worth a try.
    helpful•10
    4
    • vertigo_14
    • Jul 27, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 24, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Annem Annem
    • Filming locations
      • Sausalito, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Scott Rudin Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $19,145,198
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $137,701
      • Dec 29, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $19,145,198
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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