A grounded, soulful, celebratory comedy about three mothers and their adult sons. The film explores the stage after motherhood, Otherhood, when you have to redefine your relationship with your children, friends, spouse, and most importantly, yourself.
Otherhood is one of those films that looks like it is aimed at empty-nesters; or more specifically mothers that have children that are just about to leave the nest. It fits nicely in that niche that exploits the emotional upheaval that all parents go through when their children start to gain their independence. That being said, the film could also have a certain level of appeal to the other side of the equation; the children that are leaving--or have already left--home.
The premise of this film feels like emotional clickbait. A script that has been directed in a way that aims to make parents feel good about the need for any obsessive meddling that they do in their child's life, while also displaying rather extreme examples that would make any over-the-top helicopter parent feel better about their own behaviour. Otherhood does this while preaching the exact opposite.
Honestly, one would expect something of a higher calibre from such well-established actresses like Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman, but this has the emotional depth of an Adam Sandler film. There is a relaxed vibe about the film as if the script wasn't developed beyond the first draft, and it was shot once in chronological order. The dialogue is hammy and unemotional, and while the acting, in general, does improve as the film progresses, the first half is incredibly slow.
The story itself is split into three storylines--one for each strained mother-son relationship--which could allow for a good mix of situations that would encourage character growth and development, but there is very little of that to speak of. Every character is an absolute stereotype, whether it be the trophy wife, the withdrawn widow, or the depressed, gay, and womanizing sons, and you can guess every type of character development that the script will attempt to achieve, but nothing feels earned. Otherhood has a slow build which looks to build and develop the characters organically, but halfway through the film (alongside some confusing editing choices) the film has a sudden change in direction and pacing that forces the characters into behaviour that just doesn't feel genuine.
There definitely are some aspects that do raise interesting questions and some scenes that are emotionally engaging, but as a whole, the story is either not well-written, not well-executed, or a combination of both. Put together with some adequate cinematography and inconsistent music to dialogue levelling, Otherhood has all the hallmarks of a release with the quality standards of a movie made specifically for television.
There's nothing specifically bad about the film. There is one scene that feels out of place, but otherwise, Otherhood is a serviceable film. Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman look like they were having a lot of fun shooting the film, and that fun vibe does carry well. Can we also take a moment and appreciate how amazing Angela Bassett looks at 60 years of age? I honestly thought they had cast someone in their early 30's.
Standout performances come from the sons in the film; Jake Hoffman, Jake Lacy, Sinqua Walls; each which take the quirks of their characters and own it completely.
Otherhood tries to provide a light-hearted comedy that showcases how mothers learn to adapt their own identities now that their children are independent. What we get is something that serves to justify continued meddling by any means. A good reminder to make sure you show your appreciation for your parents (including your dads) from time to time. A phone call or a short visit will always be better received than a TXT message.