Shubhabrata Dutta
Considered one of the most pure and divine relationships, a mother-son dynamic is also complex, thanks to the Oedipus complex. But this doesn’t mean that films have only made use of this POV when aiming to explore the relationship between a mother and a son. There is no extent to which the love of a mother can go, and the same goes for the son. In this article, we bring you such movies that offer different outlooks on the dynamic. All of these are available for streaming on Netflix.
11. Mother’s Day (2023)
A Polish action thriller directed by Mateusz Rakowicz, ‘Mother’s Day’ stars Agnieszka Grochowska, Adrian Delikta, Sebastian Dela, Szymon Wróblewski, and Dorota Kolak. It follows Nina (Grochowska), a former NATO Special Operations agent who has gone into hiding and watches her son Maks (Dela), whom she gave up for adoption years ago to keep him safe, celebrate his birthday every year from afar. While she wishes to be with him, she is content in knowing and seeing that he is safe. But things take a drastic turn when Maks gets kidnapped by a dangerous gang that deals in drugs and human trafficking. What follows is how Nina puts her skills into effect and rescues her son, only to get involved in a complex plot wherein she has to do things that are against her conscience. You can watch the film here.
10. Bruised (2020)
Starring Halle Berry, who also serves as the director, ‘Bruised’ tells the story of disgraced MMA fighter Jackie Justice, who now works as a housecleaner. But when her mother brings her six-year-old son who she hasn’t seen since he was an infant, Jackie has no option but to accept him. The little boy stopped speaking due to the trauma that resulted from his father, Jackie’s ex-boyfriend, being killed. As the movie proceeds, we see how being with Manny changes Jackie for the better and helps her regain her former strength, not just as a fighter but as a person, as well as get over her traumatic past. You can stream the film here.
9. Otherhood (2019)
Directed by Cindy Chupack, ‘Otherhood’ revolves around a trio of mothers and their sons. Starring Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman, it shows how the mothers meet up and sympathize with each other on every Mother’s Day for their sons, who do not remember them and make them feel they are not loved. However, they finally decide to go on a road to their sons and reconnect. In this journey, they not only realize the importance of the new dynamic that has been forged between each mother-son pair but also that they need to change to be a better version of themselves. How they undergo this change and bear fruitful realizations is what we see in the movie. It is based on William Sutcliffe’s 2008 novel ‘Whatever Makes You Happy.’ You can stream it here.
8. Dear Mother (2020)
This French film is directed by Laurent Lafitte and is based on Sebastien Thiéry’s 2013 play ‘The Origin of the World.’ The movie addresses the estranged relationship between a son, who has a wife, and his old mother, peculiarly. When Jean-Louis (Lafitte) finds out that his heart has stopped working, he looks for a way to cure his weird condition. While his heart has stopped working, everything else is just fine. Then, a spiritual guru suggests to him that it is his strained relationship with his mother that is the cause of this. The only way for him to come out of the situation is to take a picture of his mother’s vagina. A ludicrous film that is underscored by a midlife crisis that can be “heartless,” ‘Dear Mother’ offers an intriguing watch. You can do so right here.
7. Honeymoon With My Mother (2022)
This film, directed by Paco Caballero, shows exactly what the title says. When José Luis’s fiance leaves him at the altar and flees with another guy, José’s hopes come crashing down. His overprotective mother, Mari Carmen, decides not to let her son brood over what has happened and joins him on his otherwise botched honeymoon trip to Mauritius. While José doesn’t enjoy the trip at all, his mother has the time of her life, and this enables him to know a side of her mom he never knew existed, nor did their family. You can stream the film here.
6. Pamela, a Love Story (2023)
Based on the life of model/actress Pamela Anderson, this documentary film has been directed by Ryan White. It showcases her early life, her career, and her ups and downs, both in her personal and professional life, in her own words, and we get to know about her relationship with her two sons, something that she cherishes more than anything else. The recipient of two nominations at the 75th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, you can stream ‘Pamela, a Love Story’ here.
5. The Crimes That Bind (2020)
Directed by Sebastián Schindel, ‘The Crimes That Bind’ is a Spanish psychological thriller that is bound to take you by surprise. On the front, it is about a mother, Alicia (Cecilia Roth), who desperately tries to defend her 35-year-old son, Daniel (Benjamín Amadeo), who has been convicted of the attempted murder of his ex-wife. But underneath, we have a more complex situation in the form of another court case, which is connected to her son’s case, wherein the mother’s live-in maid, Gladys (Yanina Ávila), is convicted of killing her newborn child. How these two cases are connected and how Alicia responds to them are what make this film a worthy watch. You can stream ‘The Crimes That Bind’ here.
4. Family of Two (2023)
This moving Philippine drama explores a bittersweet mother-son relationship. Maricar (Sharon Cuneta) and her son Mateo (Alden Richards) are more than happy in their small world, sharing and caring for each other in a way that is almost envious. However, things get rather tumultuous after Mateo decides to move to Singapore with his partner. He wants someone to look after his mother the way he has, but his mother doesn’t need anyone if not him. The conversations this tug-of-feelings results in make ‘Family of Two’ a very intimate mom-son drama. Directed by Nuel Crisostomo Naval, it received five nominations at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival, winning one. You can watch the film here.
3. The Children’s Train (2024)
Set during the Treni della felicità (‘trains of happiness’) initiative by the Italian Communist Party after World War II, Cristina Comencini’s ‘The Children’s Train’ shows an impoverished single mother (Serena Rossi) sending her 8-year-old son (Christian Cervone) away to the north where he can have a better life. However, while living with a rich woman reluctant to be his caretaker, the kid remembers her mother through her teachings and learns new things, waiting to be reunited with her. Poignant in a way that serves as a reminder of one of the most tragic periods in human history and its aftermath, ‘The Children’s Train’ will bring a smile to your face and tears to your eyes with its depiction of the resilience of innocence in the face of adversity. Based on Viola Ardone’s novel of the same name, the film can be streamed here.
2. Mother (2020)
From director Tatsushi Omori comes a moving thriller drama that explores a toxic mother-son relationship that is rooted in single mother Akiko’s (Masami Nagasawa) unsteady control over her son Shuhei (Sho Gunji) and her own life choices, something that he can only give in to so much. And when he finally chooses to go beyond, things get out of hand and he makes a shocking mistake. But is he responsible for it? Or is it her mom? ‘Mother’ is bound to affect you with its roller-coaster of emotions. You can watch it here.
1. Zero To Hero (2021)
Directed by Jimmy Wan, this is a Chinese biographical sports flick based on the life of Hong Kong’s first Paralympic Games gold-winner, So Wa Wai. In the film, we see how his fierce bond with his dedicated mother ultimately led to him overcoming his limits formed by cerebral palsy and becoming a world champion. While we get to see Wa Wai’s physical and personal struggles, we are also subjected to the immense emotional strength offered by his mom, which often takes the shape of threats. However, Wa Wai’s love for his mother remains the same throughout. An emotionally gripping film, ‘Zero To Hero’ is a must-watch mother-son flick that you can stream right here.
Read More: Best Father-Son Movies on Netflix
