Sartaj Singh
From the early days of her daughter’s life, a mother starts to visualize and chart a course for her child’s destiny, shaped by her own experiences. The mother’s teachings often convey her expectations and those of society, while the growing daughter’s increasing independence becomes both a source of strength and vulnerability. Just as in reality, this relationship is depicted in film on a broad spectrum, ranging from idyllic to unfathomably dysfunctional. In addition, this unique bond seems to have consistencies as well as drastic differences when observed through the lens of various time periods. Here are 17 of the best movies on HBO Max that dedicate a central theme to this multifaceted relationship.
14. Tuesday (2023)
A film that paints a stunning portrait of life and death, ‘Tuesday’ is a fantasy drama that explores the relationship between a mother, Zora, and her dying daughter, Tuesday. As the two try to cope with the inevitable future, Death arrives in the form of a macaw to help them both let go. As much to the heart and soul as it is to the eyes, the film offers a graceful take on the reality of life, underscored by the moving performances of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Lola Petticrew. You can watch the film here.
13. Gray Matter (2023)
‘Gray Matter’ is a science fiction thriller that revolves around a teenage girl with telekinetic abilities that her mother tries to nurture and hide at the same time. Directed by Meko Winbush, the film is set in a near-future world where Aurora’s wish to live a normal life is hampered by her potent telekinetic powers that her mother insists she nurture and tame. She also tells Aurora that her gifts must remain hidden from outsiders. When her growing abilities attract the attention of dark forces, Aurora realizes why her mother had been training her mind. Mia Isaac and Jessica Frances Dukes nail their performances as the mother-daughter duo, and the atmospheric cinematography complements the increasingly alarming situation they find themselves in. You can watch the film right here.
12. Life Support (2007)
Helmed by Nelson George, ‘Life Support’ is a gripping drama that explores the impact of AIDS on families in the African American community, with mother-daughter relationships becoming its emotional center. The film follows Ana Wallace, a former crack addict who is now living with HIV and working as an AIDS activist in Brooklyn. She is determined to use her misguided past to help others, but her relationship with her teenage daughter, Kelly, remains strained. Ana has lost custody of Kelly, who now lives with her estranged mother, Lucille. However, when Lucille decides to come live with Ana, she has a chance to work on their relationship and past. Inspired by a remarkable true story, the film reflects the grittiness of both New York City and the effect of addiction on families. ‘Life Support’ can be watched here.
11. Mildred Pierce (1945)
The cult classic noir drama ‘Mildred Pierce’ stars Joan Crawford as the titular woman, a mother of two, whose current husband is charged with the murder of her ex-husband. Upon being questioned by the police, she reveals the previous few years of her life, with a special focus on her strained relationship with her two daughters and the conflict between them regarding their social status. Nominated for 5 Academy Awards (winning one), ‘Mildred Pierce’ artistically blends a murder mystery and a family drama to give us one of the greatest Hollywood classics. Co-starring Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, and Eve Arden, the film is directed by Michael Curtiz. You can watch it here.
10. Real Women Have Curves (2002)
‘Real Women Have Curves’ is a heartfelt coming-of-age comedy-drama that introduces us to a Mexican-American girl who seeks autonomy while her mother wants her to marry and have children. Ana Garcia, an 18-year-old girl living in East Los Angeles, is caught between her ambitions for higher education and the traditional expectations of her mother, Carmen. She is of the opinion that Ana should work as a laborer in the family’s garment factory after high school instead of pursuing college. As Ana works alongside her mother and other women, she begins to appreciate their strength and resilience, and she also learns to embrace her own body and identity. Directed by Patricia Cardoso, the film authentically explores the mother-daughter bond when faced with generational and cultural conflicts. You can stream ‘Real Women Have Curves’ here.
9. Grey Gardens (2009)
Directed by Michael Sucsy, ‘Grey Gardens’ is a touching biographical drama that dives into the eccentric and complex lives of Edith Bouvier Beale (Jessica Lange) and her daughter, “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale (Drew Barrymore). Based on the critically acclaimed 1975 documentary of the same name, the film revolves around the decline of the once-wealthy Beales, relatives of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who continue to live in squalor in their decaying East Hampton mansion.
Shifting between past and present, the story takes us back to the Beales’ glamorous early years before transitioning to the jarring state of their later life in isolation and poverty. Edith, an aspiring singer, and Little Edie, a would-be actress, share a deeply co-dependent and at times, tumultuous relationship. As they retreat further from society, their home becomes a symbol of lost dreams and unfulfilled potential. ‘Grey Gardens’ paints a gilded portrait of family dysfunction, mental illness, and the harsh passage of time, capturing the tragic beauty and spirit of both mother and daughter. You can watch the moving drama right here.
8. Autumn Sonata (1978)
Helmed by Ingmar Bergman, ‘Autumn Sonata’ or ‘Höstsonaten’ is a Swedish drama film that follows the wife of the village pastor, Eva, as she invites her world-renowned pianist mother, Charlotte, over to her home. A talented, nurturing family woman, Eva was neglected by her mother since childhood and finds an opportunity to reconnect with her. As the two women confront their past, buried resentments and unspoken grievances come to the surface, including Eva’s troubled relationship with her own daughter. The film masterfully captures Charlotte’s self-absorption and Eva’s yearning for maternal love and approval, which lead to intense and heartbreaking confrontations that seem to resonate through the fourth wall. ‘Autumn Sonata’ can be watched right here.
7. Secrets & Lies (1996)
With Mike Leigh at the helm, ‘Secrets & Lies’ revolves around an adopted black woman’s search for her biological mother and the resulting complexities of family dynamics, race, and identity when she finds her. Hortense is a successful black optometrist who, after the death of her adoptive mother, decides to trace her birth mother. To her surprise, she discovers that her birth mother, Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn), is a simple white working-class woman.
Cynthia lives under strained family conditions as a single mother to her street sweeper daughter, Roxanne. After getting over her disbelief, Cynthia introduces Hortense to her family as her work colleague, starting a chain of events that brings long-buried secrets and lies within the family to light. The film explores two very different mother-daughter relationships simultaneously between Cynthia and each of her daughters, creating a hilarious yet deeply moving tale with stellar performances from the cast. You can watch the drama unfold right here.
6. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
‘My Neighbor Totoro’ is a Studio Ghibli movie directed by the company’s co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. It centers on two little sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who move in with their father to their new house, close to the hospital where their ill mother is admitted. The duo befriends all kinds of magical creatures in the forest, including a large cat-like creature they name Totoro. When Mei, the younger of the two, sets off on her own to meet her mother after a planned visit is canceled, Satsuki reaches out to Totoro, asking him for help. With animism at its heart, ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ portrays a daughter’s love for her mother and, by incorporating fantastical elements, stresses the power it holds. You can watch the magic unfold right here.
5. Mamma Mia! (2008)
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, ‘Mamma Mia!’ is a lively musical comedy featuring songs from ABBA with a star-studded cast on a picturesque Greek island. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), a young bride-to-be, dreams of having the perfect wedding with her father walking her down the aisle. The only problem? She doesn’t know who he is. After finding her mother Donna’s (Meryl Streep) old diary, Sophie discovers that one of three men—Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), or Harry (Colin Firth)—could be her father.
Without telling Donna, Sophie invites all three to her wedding, hoping to uncover the truth. The film is a joyous celebration of family, as Donna, her old friends, and the potential fathers come together in a whirlwind of music and emotions. Sophie begins to learn a lot about her mother, and the two share a rollercoaster ride of emotion throughout the wedding process. With brilliant performances from the cast, Donna and Sophie seem to be uncannily similar in many respects, portraying a genuine mother-daughter connection. You can stream this beautiful film here.
4. Carrie (1976)
Directed by Brian De Palma, ‘Carrie’ is a supernatural horror flick adapted from King’s eponymous debut novel. It centers on high school teenager Carrie White, who is regularly tormented by her staunchly religious mother, Margaret. She even addresses Carrie’s first period as a sin. Even her classmates mistreat and bully her. However, all this is until she realizes she can control things with her mind (telekinesis). Bent on exacting revenge on all those who have hurt her in almost every way, she sets off on a bloody spree, and her final target becomes her mother. Does she have the guts to hurt her mom, granted how the latter has misbehaved with her? Starring Sissy Spacek as Carrie White and Piper Laurie as Margaret, the movie, with a tragic mother-daughter relationship at its core, is considered a cult classic and a must-watch for Stephen King fans and cinephiles. It can be streamed here.
3. The Florida Project (2017)
A Sean Baker directorial, ‘The Florida Project,’ cinematically contrasts the beauty and wonder of childhood with the adult world’s incredible struggles from the point of view of a young girl and her mother. Six-year-old Moonee and her young, single mother, Halley, live in a budget motel just beside Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Moonee spends her days on mischievous adventures with her friends, oblivious to the harsh realities of their environment.
Halley, barely an adult herself, struggles to make ends meet and resorts to increasingly desperate measures. The motel’s manager, Bobby (Willem Dafoe), becomes something of a surrogate father to both Moonee and Halley, the latter of whom thoroughly rejects his parent-like advice. Despite her own unstable circumstances, Halley is fiercely devoted to Moonee and tries to create a sense of normalcy for her. To join Halley in her journey, you can watch ‘The Florida Project’ here.
2. Janet Planet (2023)
Annie Baker’s ‘Janet Planet’ is an in-depth exploration of the relationship between a single mother, Janet, and his 11-year-old daughter, Lacy. As the two try to make sense of their respective worlds, underscored by friends and partners, we get a poignant yet heartwarming drama that paints the same picture from two different perspectives, a coming-of-age one and an adult one. How the two women react to everyday situations and scenarios have been depicted in an intimate manner, powered by the outstanding performances of Julianne Nicholson as Janet and Zoe Ziegler as Lacy. You can watch ‘Janet Planet’ here.
1. Lady Bird (2017)
Masterfully directed by Greta Gerwig, ‘Lady Bird’ centers on a young woman hoping to move out of her hometown to study arts in the city while her mother believes that neither she nor their expenses are prepared for such a move. Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) is a rebellious teenager who clashes with her equally headstrong mother, Marion (Laurie Metcalf). Lady Bird yearns for independence and aspires to attend college on the East Coast, far from her modest upbringing.
Meanwhile, Marion, who works tirelessly to keep the family afloat, struggles to connect with her daughter and worries about her future. The poignant coming-of-age drama effortlessly captures the tumultuous yet deeply loving relationship between the mother and her teenage daughter. Despite caring for one another, the two are unable to communicate their fears and insecurities openly, perfectly reflecting the complexities of a teen daughter’s quintessential relationship with her mother. You can watch this brilliant and powerful drama here.
Read More: Best Motherhood Movies On Netflix
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