Mother and Child

It might not be the biggest movie of the year.

You probably haven't even heard of it.

However, Mother and Child has what might be the first Oscar caliber performance of the year.

In three stories, writer/director Rodrigo Garcia examines three women and the complicated relationships they share with their mothers and children. Yep, it's time to get out the hankies.

Annette Benning stars as Karen - a middle aged nurse who is haunted by her teenage pregnancy and the decision to give the baby up for adoption. Years later, she has a tense relationship with her mother, and never seems to have moved on from that period of her life, even as a new male nurse, Paco (Jimmy Smits), tries to melt her icy exterior.

Meanwhile, Naomi Watts is a high powered, sexy and bold attorney, Elizabeth, starting a new job. Given her credentials, intelligence and commanding presence, the new boss, Paul (Samuel L. Jackson), wonders why she has jumped from job to job. Soon, he will find out why.

Finally, Kerry Washington stars as Lucy - a young, married woman with dreams of becoming a mother. Facing problems conceiving, she and her husband decide to adopt, and meet a very formidable young girl who wants to give up her child to the right couple.

Mother and Child is a fine movie with plenty of melodramatic moments, but you see this one to watch Annette Benning give another amazing performance. In Karen, she has created a character full of fear, anger, need, confusion and desire, complete with the most broken heart you have ever seen.

She makes the audience laugh as Karen and Paco go on the most uncomfortable date in the history of men and women (I have been on some bad dates, but this one makes me look like Casanova and Johnny Depp all rolled into one). She makes us cringe when Karen should be making better decisions. Then, we all weep as she remembers the painful events of her past and struggles to win some approval from her mother. She makes us feel redemption is around the corner, if she will take that journey down the street.

The rest of Mother and Child is a solid, interesting movie with no big highs or deep lows. It's horribly predictable, much too long, and doesn't play fair emotionally (the ending is a bit of ridiculous twist), but it is inviting and has an emotional impact.

Mother and Child is rated R for sexuality, brief nudity, and language.