Mother's Day (2016 film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founder | Garry Marshall (director) |
| Headquarters | Atlanta , United States |
| Products | Romantic comedy film |
| Parent | Open Road Films (distributor) |
Mother's Day is a 2016 American romantic comedy helmed by director Garry Marshall, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Tom Hines, Lily Hollander, Anya Kochoff-Romano, and Matt Walker. The film features an ensemble cast including Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Shay Mitchell, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson, Timothy Olyphant, Héctor Elizondo, and Jack Whitehall. Principal photography commenced on August 18, 2015, in Atlanta. This project marks the final directorial effort of Garry Marshall before his passing in July 2016, as well as the last film role of his sister Penny prior to her death in December 2018.
Distributed by Open Road Films, Mother's Day premiered in U.S. theaters on April 29, 2016. Although it was met with predominantly unfavorable reviews from critics, the movie earned $48.8 million globally against a production budget of $25 million. At the 37th Golden Raspberry Awards, Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson received nominations for Worst Actress and Worst Supporting Actress, respectively.
Plot
In the lead-up to Mother's Day, several individuals in Atlanta—who initially appear unrelated—navigate their complex relationships with their mothers.
Sandy, a divorced mom raising two sons, Mikey and Peter, finds it difficult to accept her ex-husband Henry’s remarriage to Tina, a younger woman. She crosses paths with Bradley, a widowed former Marine caring for his two daughters following his wife Dana’s death.
Kristin, adopted at birth, is considering marriage to Zack, the father of her daughter Katie. Encouraged by her friend Jesse—who is also Sandy’s closest confidante—Kristin begins searching for her biological mother.
Jesse is married to Russell; together they have a son named Tanner. Jesse’s sister Gabi and her wife Max parent a son called Charlie. When their parents Earl and Florence unexpectedly visit—harboring racist and homophobic attitudes—the families must face their differences head-on.
Miranda, a prominent author and television personality based in Atlanta promoting her newest book, is taken aback when Kristin arrives—her birth daughter given up for adoption years before. Their reunion sparks Kristin’s engagement on-air and leads to an immediate wedding involving Miranda.
Sandy works as an interior designer tasked with creating the set for Miranda’s upcoming talk show. Although she misses an important meeting, a spontaneous encounter impresses Miranda with Sandy’s honesty, earning her the design contract.
During a camper-van trip, Jesse and Gabi’s parents confront them and their partners about their lifestyles. With assistance from Russell’s mother via Skype, tensions gradually ease, culminating in a joint Mother's Day picnic that includes all families.
At the hospital—where Sandy has brought her son due to an asthma attack—she reconnects with Bradley, who has been injured at his own Mother's Day celebration. After helping her out of a vending machine and encouraged by his daughters, Bradley starts viewing Sandy in a more favorable light.
Development
In April 2013, Dennis Dugan announced plans to develop Mother's Day, a comedy project under the direction of Garry Marshall.
Casting
On June 30, 2015, the initial cast members were revealed: Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, and Jason Sudeikis. The film was directed by Garry Marshall with a screenplay by Anya Kochoff-Romano and Lily Hollander. Production was led by Brandt Andersen alongside Wayne Rice and Mike Karz. On July 22, 2015, distribution rights for the U.S. were secured by Open Road Films, with Matt Walker and Tom Hines contributing as co-writers of the script.
By August 21, 2015, Ella Anderson joined the cast portraying Vicky, the daughter of Sudeikis’ character. A few days later on August 26, 2015, additions included Timothy Olyphant, Britt Robertson, Shay Mitchell, Jack Whitehall, Loni Love, and Aasif Mandvi. Although Hilary Duff was confirmed on October 6 to participate, she ultimately withdrew due to scheduling conflicts related to her television series Younger.
Filming
The primary filming commenced on August 18, 2015, in Atlanta. Julia Roberts' part required just four days of shooting, yet her compensation amounted to $3 million.
Release
Mother's Day was launched in the United States on April 29, 2016, through Open Road Films.
Box office
With a production budget of $25 million, Mother's Day earned $32.5 million in the US and Canada and an additional $16.3 million internationally, bringing its global total to $48.8 million.
During its debut weekend in 3,035 theaters, the film was anticipated to make approximately $11 million but ultimately generated $8.4 million, placing fourth behind The Jungle Book ($43.7 million), The Huntsman: Winter's War ($9.6 million), and Keanu ($9.5 million). The second weekend, which coincided with the holiday, saw a 32.5% increase to $11.1 million, securing third place behind Captain America: Civil War ($179.1 million) and The Jungle Book ($24.5 million).
Critical response
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds an approval rating of 8% from 157 critiques, with an average score of 2.9/10. The site's consensus describes it as "perhaps well-meaning but fundamentally misguided," likening it to a last-minute present that highlights its embarrassing lack of effort. On Metacritic, it received a score of 18 out of 100 based on 30 reviews, signaling "overwhelming dislike." Audience feedback collected by CinemaScore resulted in a "B+" grade.
Critic Richard Roeper awarded zero out of four stars, labeling it "offensively stupid, shamelessly manipulative, ridiculously predictable and hopelessly outdated." Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian gave one star out of five, characterizing the film as "as feelgood and life-affirming as a fire in an asbestos factory neighbouring a children's hospital."
Accolades
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2010s American films
- 2010s English-language films
- 2016 films
- 2016 LGBTQ-related films
- 2016 romantic comedy-drama films
- American LGBTQ-related films
- American romantic comedy-drama films
- English-language romantic comedy-drama films
- Films about families
- Films about mother–daughter relationships
- Films directed by Garry Marshall
- Films scored by John Debney
- Films shot in Atlanta
- Gulfstream Pictures films
- LGBTQ-related romantic comedy-drama films
- Mother's Day
- Open Road Films films