Mother & Son Relationships in Film

15 March 2015

Xavier Dolan's upcoming feature Mommy, which hits cinemas on March 20th, is a story about a mother who is pushed to her limits by her difficult son.

Mommy

To honour all of the dedicated mums in the world this mother's day and to celebrate Mommy's release, here are five memorable films that have strong mother/son relationships.

- Boyhood (2014)

Charming audiences with its documentary style, Boyhood is centered on a Southern boy and his family as they evolve over a 12 year period.

One of the most enjoyable subplots in the film is the relationship between the boy, Ellar Coltrane, and his mother, Patricia Arquette. Throughout the film, they provide comfort and support for each other during their own difficult times.

When Mason (the boy) is afraid to go to his first day at a new middle school, his mother rallies and inspires him. When his mother's romances end in agony, Mason is always there to offer emotional support.

One of the underlying messages of Boyhood is how strong families act as a mutual support system during difficult times. Just as Mason's mother keeps him motivated and focused, he returns the favor by giving his mother support and purpose.

The movie introduces us to the acting talents of Ellar Coltrane, while Arquette won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in February for her performances.

- Forrest Gump (1994)

Forrest never forgot his mother's words. Born with a low IQ, poor social skills, and a crooked spine that required him to wear leg braces as a boy, Forrest Gump had a difficult childhood in Greenbow, Alabama. But from an early age, Forrest's mother instilled the values in him that would guide him through life.

She told her son that these things should not hold him back from having the same ambitions as any other person. Forrest would embrace his mother's words, giving him a reliable compass throughout his life.

Despite his overwhelming success, Forrest never forgot his roots. In one of the film's most memorable scenes, Forrest leaps out of his shrimp boat and swims to shore when he finds out his mother needs help. Forrest Gump is a story about a man who seizes his own destiny by listening to his mother.

Sally Field and Tom Hanks made the perfect movie mother & son duo - their scenes together were some of the film's best and most powerful. Hanks went on to win a Best Actor Oscar for his performance - quite why Field was nominated is anyone's guess.

- Home Alone (1990)

It's almost impossible to avoid watching Home Alone during the holidays. Not only is it always on television, it is the perfect film to create a warm and cozy holiday atmosphere.

From McCauley Culkin's famous scream to Joe Peschi's angry muttering, this film offers something for all ages and audiences. However, at its core, Home Alone is about family.

There's only one thing motivating the young Kevin McCallister and his frantic mother throughout the film: each other. After he is left behind on a vacation to Paris, Kevin must protect his home and fend off two malicious bandits.

Kevin's mother, desperate to ensure her son's safety, must fight her way back to New York with all remaining flights completely booked. Both possessed with determination, Kevin and his mother overcome extreme adversities to be reunited.

- We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

One of the heavy and chilling examples of mother and son relationships in film is the psychological thriller, We Need to Talk About Kevin. The film is based on Lionel Shriver's fictional book about a boy who goes on a murderous spree of killings.

The story centers on the boy's mother, played by Tilda Swinton, who struggles to accept her son's horrific actions. Through short memories and flashbacks, the film uses fragmented storytelling to reveal the roots of Kevin's problems and what led up to his killing spree.

Although the film is disturbing, it is ultimately about the inseparable bond between a mother and her son. While I was not the biggest fan of the movie as a whole, the performances of Swinton and Ezra Miller elevate the film to something more.

We Need to Talk About Kevin really was the breakthrough performance for Miller, who has gone on to star in the likes of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Madame Bovary.

The student, Michael Oher, had spent his entire life as an orphan. When Michael was born, his mother was a crack-cocaine addict and his father was in prison. Unable to survive in this broken household, Michael moved around foster homes in his early years.

- The Blind Side (2009)

One of the most unique and emotional mother/son relationships in film comes from the 2009 film, The Blind Side. Based on a true story, the film is about a married couple from Memphis, Tennessee named Leanne and Sean Tuhoy, who adopt a high school student from a troubled background.

At the beginning of his high school career at Briarcrest Christian School, Michael's life would change forever. After being taken in by the Tuhoy family, Michael began to thrive. With help from his new family, Oher improved his grades and earned a football scholarship to Brigham Young University. Oher would then go on to play football in the National Football League, where he currently starts for the Carolina Panthers.

Even though the Tuhoys were all part of Michael's journey, it was Mrs. Tuhoy who took the lead and gave him the support he never had. After seeing Michael on the side of the road late one night, Leanne ordered her husband to stop their passing car to let him in. From that point on, Leanne kept the nearly 250-pound kid firmly in her clutches.

This remains one of Sandra Bullock's finest big screen performances, and her good work was rewarded with a Best Actress Oscar - her first. This was also the breakthrough performance for Quinton Aaron as Michael.