There’s nothing groundbreaking about the structure or ideas presented here; however, the film succeeds on the shoulders of Brooks’ charm and charisma.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Oct 1, 2024

The film is a loving yet obsessive parody of the generational stereotypes that stand between the Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation.

| Aug 27, 2024

Like Brooks’ best work, there’s an aura of comfort and familiarity, of warmth amidst the neuroses, with a self-effacing acidity underneath.

| Original Score: 8.5/10 | Mar 25, 2024

In some ways, Mother is the most frustrating kind of movie. It has a decent hook, and you can see what Brooks is going for. But it definitely never comes close to earning its way through that premise.

| Feb 20, 2024

Cleverly turning the self-obsessions of its lead character on its head, Mother is a wry comedy full of insight and unexpected sweetness.

| Nov 18, 2023

Reynolds's exquisitely calibrated, mercurially comedic performance reveals the stifled passions that inform a lifetime of rigidly refined habits.

| Sep 14, 2020

Brooks' minimalism can be amazingly jampacked, but Mother is perilously slack.

| Jun 5, 2020

What's really surprising here is that Brooks has finally discovered the very human heart beating beneath his trademark malcontent.

| Jun 5, 2020

In its deceptively modest way, this edgily sweet comedy gets closer to the bone of mother-son relationships than many a more solemn opus.

| Dec 7, 2018

Brooks has created his best work so far. His oddball comedy has sometimes missed the target, but with Mother he has chosen an ancient theme and given it a smart, modern spin.

| Jan 17, 2018

For the most part its droll humor rubbed me the right way despite its pat facile conclusion and all the product placements.

| Original Score: B | Sep 26, 2012

Reynolds is in sparkling form and the script teems with painfully truthful ironies.

| Oct 7, 2010

For people who believe that a grown-up son can never go home again, Brook's serio comedy, one of the few Hollywood pictures dealing with mother-son relationship in a poignant way, came as a surprise; Debbie Reynolds in a comeback turn is great.

| Original Score: B | Dec 27, 2006

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 28, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 1, 2005

Off-putting and uncomfortable ... but still pretty funny.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 17, 2005

The clash of personalities that ensues produces some truly hilarious moments.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 7, 2005

The finely honed Mother proves that a new Brooks film is well worth the wait.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 29, 2004

Good, not great Brooks, but Reynolds is a riot

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 26, 2004

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 3, 2003