Sartaj Singh
Films often hold up mirrors to our own lives and experiences, allowing us to emotionally resonate with the relationships and bonds conveyed. The dynamic between a mother and daughter can be especially multifaceted, with themes ranging from unconditional love and mutual support to overprotectiveness and fixation. Such dynamics have enriched heartwarming comedies to poignant dramas while also serving as the basis of familial dysfunction in thrillers. These are some of the best movies on Hulu that feature their own unique and vastly different mother-daughter relationships.
8. Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story (2019)
Directed by Jim Donovan, ‘Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story’ chronicles the harrowing true story of Mary Stauffer as she and her daughter are held captive by a former student. Mary, a former missionary and teacher, is abducted along with her 8-year-old daughter, Beth, by a former student, Ming Sen Shiue. He continued to confine and sexually assault Mary while imprisoning them in extremely poor conditions.
The Lifetime thriller explores the psychological and emotional trauma of their captivity, as well as the profound bond between mother and daughter that helps them endure the unimaginable. Donovan’s direction ensures a tense, suspenseful narrative that honors the real-life bravery of Mary Stauffer and her daughter, showcasing their strength and courage in the face of terror. You can watch ‘Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story’ right here.
7. Because I Said So (2007)
Helmed by Michael Lehmann, ‘Because I Said So’ centers on an overbearing mother of three who is looking to find a good man for her youngest. With her elder two daughters happily married, Daphne Wilder is worried that Milly only seems to attract the wrong kind of men. Having suffered through the hardships of divorce and brought up all of them on their own, Daphne is dead set on making sure that her daughters don’t go through what she did. She takes matters into her own hands and secretly arranges for an architect, Jason, to meet Milly.
Meanwhile, Milly finds a guitarist boyfriend, Johnny, much to the chagrin of her mother since it reminds her of her own irresponsible ex-husband. With Milly double dating and Daphne finding her own perfect match with Johnny’s father, the romantic comedy sees hilarious as well as emotional moments between the mother and daughter. The interplay between Daphne’s maternal control and Milly’s need for autonomy creates a relatable and grounded narrative that subsequently branches off with a number of dramatic developments. ‘Because I Said So’ can be streamed here.
6. You Are Not My Mother (2021)
Helmed by Kate Dolan, ‘You Are Not My Mother’ is a chilling horror film that puts a dark spin on a mother-daughter relationship and reveals increasingly eerie family secrets. Set in a North Dublin neighborhood, the story follows Char, a teenage girl who lives with her mentally unstable mother, Angela, and her grandmother, Rita.
One day, Angela mysteriously disappears, only to return with a drastically altered personality, leaving Char to uncover the dark and unsettling reasons behind her mother’s transformation. The tragedy of Char’s situation is that she is in dire need of her mother’s support, facing bullying at school and requiring advice. However, Angela becomes increasingly erratic. The film explores their deteriorating relationship with a backdrop of mental illness, Irish folklore, and the supernatural. You can watch the horror flick right here.
5. Silent Hill (2006)
Directed by Christophe Gans, ‘Silent Hill’ is the story of a mother desperately searching for her daughter in the titular haunted town. On her way to get her adopted daughter, Sharon, treated, Rose Da Silva suffers a car crash and wakes up to find Sharon gone. As she heads to the nearby town of Silent Hill, eerie apparitions seem to haunt the dark corners of its ashy streets. Calling on her husband and anyone she can find to help, Rose begins to delve deeper into the twisted underworld beneath.
Based on the video game series of the same name, the film creates a truly creepy mood with its atmospheric horror and stalking malignant hellspawn. Rose’s connection with her daughter keeps her going despite her every instinct screaming at her to turn tail and run. However, she begins to question her reality when a ghost that looks like Sharon begins to haunt her. With some absolutely horrifying and gruesome scenes, ‘Silent Hill’ stands as a horror gem that sees the mother-daughter bond put to the test against evil, and you can watch it right here.
4. Monica (2022)
‘Monica’ follows the journey of the titular transgender woman who returns home after many years to care for her ailing mother, Eugenia. Monica is visiting her family after the transition and poses as a caretaker hired for her mother by her sister. The story delves into Monica’s struggles with acceptance and forgiveness as she faces the family she left behind, including her estranged siblings and a mother who doesn’t seem to recognize her.
Under Andrea Pallaoro’s direction, Monica’s deep emotional strain from trying to reconnect with her unraveled family relationships is impactfully conveyed, with subtle cinematography adding to the somber scenes. The daughter has a heartfelt desire to embrace her mother but is unable to do so, afraid of revealing herself, leading to truly poignant moments. You can stream the heartwarming drama here.
3. The Rest of Us (2019)
With Aisling Chin-Yee in the director’s chair, ‘The Rest of Us’ revolves around two mother-daughter duos who come together after the man connecting them dies. Cami, a successful children’s author, and her teenage dropout daughter, Aster, attend the funeral of Cami’s ex-husband and Aster’s father. They run into Rachel, his widow and former mistress, and her young daughter, Talulah.
With Rachel and Talulah being left homeless, Cami finds herself taking them in, creating a tense and emotionally charged household. As the women navigate their shared pain and forge unexpected connections, their daughters deal with the loss and change from their own very different perspectives. While Aster is initially prickly and unwelcoming, Talulah gains another adoring mother. The film stands out for its thought-provoking nature and its focus on the exploration of these four characters and their developing bonds. ‘The Rest of Us’ can be watched here.
2. Run (2020)
Helmed by Aneesh Chaganty, ‘Run’ introduces us to a twisted mother-daughter relationship in a hair-raising thriller. Chloe is a wheelchair-bound teen who has been homeschooled and is completely dependent on her single mother, Diane, to take care of her. When Chloe finds mismatched documents and forged labels plastered over her prescription pills, she begins to suspect that her mother is hiding something. Things turn sinister as Chloe begins searching online for the medicine she discovered but finds that the house has no internet, unaware that her mother has unplugged the router and is peering at her from the dark. As panic sets in, the film gathers pace and refuses to slow down its terrifying mother-daughter story. You can watch the gripping drama right here.
1. Four Good Days (2020)
Directed by Rodrigo García, ‘Four Good Days’ is an emotional film about a mother helping her adult daughter fight through four days of staying clean from drugs before she can be administered treatment. Deb has been battling with the consequences of her daughter Molly’s (Mila Kunis) heroin addiction for over a decade. Molly, desperate to get clean, returns home and pleads for her mother’s help as she attempts a new detox program that requires her to stay sober for four days before starting treatment.
During these crucial days, Deb and Molly confront their painful past, including Molly’s loss of custody over her children, broken promises, and the withering trust between them. Their strained dynamic starts off with hope as Deb motivates Molly but soon realizes that she can’t guarantee her sobriety regardless of her hawklike vigilance. With the daughter fighting an uphill battle, tensions flare up between them, and fingers are pointed with accusations of irresponsibility, absence, and inattention. García’s direction provides a raw look at the challenges of addiction, with the mother-daughter bond becoming Molly’s only hope for a second chance. ‘Four Good Days’ is a powerful and moving drama that can be watched here.
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