Three women’s lives are intertwined though none has met the other. A 50 year old woman, Karen (Annette Bening), her daughter, Elizabeth (Naomi Watts) given up for adoption at birth and Lucy (Kerry Washington) looking to adopt find their lives merging in surprising ways. Rodrigo Garcia has written and directed a superb film made by stunning performances not only by the three main female leads but also by Samuel L. Jackson, S. Epatha Merkerson and Jimmy Smits.

This is about the psychological profiles that come from abandonment, abandoning and yearning and how those profiles change as circumstances change. These are hard and damaged women, removed from the happy nuclear family, looking for release from their emotional straight-jackets and sometimes doing whatever it takes to get there, including acting recklessly.

These performances and subject matter will no doubt resonate more with women (of all ages) than men but they too will have cause to reflect on their lives and parental relationships and enjoy this film immensely. Watts, Bening and Washington craft their roles on screen in compelling ways that mix both empathy and antipathy allowing us to view the yin and yang of their lives, where one’s gain can be another’s loss.

Mother and Child is a strong contender for film of the year.

Kryztoff Rating   4.5K