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.
7. Freaky Friday (2003)
Starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, ‘Freaky Friday’ is a fantasy comedy wherein a mother and daughter get their roles switched, thanks to magical fortune cookies. Widowed psychiatrist Tess (Curtis) and her teenage musician daughter, Anna (Lohan), rarely get along. Having complained about each other’s lifestyles, they get a hang of the real thing after getting the chance to experience it. How does that turn out? Well, funny is one way of putting it. Based on Mary Rodgers’s novel of the same name, Mark Waters’ ‘Freaky Friday’ is a perfect binge-watch for mothers, daughters, and/or the whole family. It can be streamed here.
6. Stolen by My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story (2020)
‘Stolen by My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story’ tells the true story of Kamiyah Mobley (Rayven Ferrel), who finds out that her mother isn’t really her mother. Gloria Williams (Niecy Nash) stole her when she was a newborn from a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 10, 1998, and named her Alexis. It took Kamiyah 18 years to figure out the truth after her application for a job led her to search for her social security card and birth certificate. The question is: why did Gloria take Kamiyah away from her mother? Was this some kind of revenge, or was it Gloria’s own predicament that led her to commit this heinous crime? Equally shocking and gripping, ‘Stolen by My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story’ is directed by Jeffrey W. Byrd and can be streamed here.
5. 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.
4. Hope Floats (1998)
Starring Sandra Bullock and Mae Whitman, Forest Whitaker’s ‘Hope Floats’ follows Birdee and Bernice, a mother-daughter duo that returns to Birdee’s hometown of Smithville, Texas, to cope with her husband’s openly-admitted infidelity. While dealing with the constant rebuke, she meets her old friend Justin (Harry Connick Jr.). A romance is clearly imminent, and both of them want it. However, after being cheated on, Birdee struggles to trust her decisions, as they will affect Bernice’s childhood more than her previous ones already have. A heartwarming romance drama underscored by not one but two mom-daughter dynamics (including that of Birdee and her mother, Ramona (Gena Rowlands)), ‘Hope Floats’ is a bingeworthy addition to our list. You can watch it here.
3. 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.
2. 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.
1. 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.
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