This movie truly was enjoyable for me, although a lot of the comments from my fellow reviewers resonate for me as well.
The benefit in particular for me was getting to see a story that involved an elderly parent and the complicated nature of being an obedient child while still setting healthy boundaries that honor the very values that parent helped instill in you.
As the daughter of a mom exactly Marlo's age, I was intrigued to see so many similar feelings and it made me feel incredibly validated.
The Summary: A single, successful woman with one beautiful pre-teen daughter is compelled to invite her older mother to stay while settling some unresolved issues that have rendered Older Mom without a home. The nature of the matriarch is stubborn, 'last minute', impractical, and loving, which strongly contrasts with her adult daughter, who is pragmatic and wants the best for everyone involved.
I loved Alison Sweeney; I'm a fan of HM movies, but I've missed most of hers and rarely watch any sort of HM series/shows. I recognized her and found her to be a really excellent choice for this role; the story is believable in the way it balances her character's love for her mom with her own need to follow 'formulaic' methods for life.
Her aging mom (Marlo Thomas), is confounding, and I can relate to the insistence, the stronger opinions, the "I'm right, you'll see"-ness that makes for challenging parent-adult child relationships. She overstepped immediately by trying to change the rules of her daughter's household and treating her home as her own (Yes, we want others to feel at home, but allow that invitation to be extended, don't just insist upon it from the start!). Watching Alison's character get frustrated and use her adult voice was gratifying, because it helped me see that I'm not alone, and that I also can improve my ability to show grace. The movie does a great job of showing how people can be hurt by each other but still forgive and uphold respect at all times.
The thing that I found a little uncertain was how Luke McFarlane was supposed to feel; is he interested genuinely in her, or was he just half-heartedly interested? It's hard to know if this was only a manifestation of his job logistics (necessitating a move far away, which would make the relationship impossible) OR if he actually did not feel ready for a relationship up until the very end when he finally returned the interest?
The holiday spirit of this movie was evident to me; the Village piece was beautifully incorporated, and the young lady playing her daughter was awesome - she didn't steal scenes, but she had this demeanor of wonder, a sort of thoughtful, slow-to-react quality to her scenes, which just made her a welcome balance for her very-prepared Mom. I also appreciated that they opted to make her character grateful and sweet vs. The "know it all" teen who prissily snaps at her mom.
The overall theme of this movie in my opinion is respect. It illustrates so many examples of the choice to be respectful, to understand boundaries, and to correct ourselves when we cross those boundaries. The other obvious theme is family dynamics, and giving up a bit of control before we ruin the very things that we worked so hard to acquire with each other. It's true: nothing wonderful comes easily, and this movie shows exactly this concept.
Watch this movie if you want to watch a movie that doesn't follow the usual formulaic romance journey, and instead explores family dynamics and the powerful role they can play in our lives.
The benefit in particular for me was getting to see a story that involved an elderly parent and the complicated nature of being an obedient child while still setting healthy boundaries that honor the very values that parent helped instill in you.
As the daughter of a mom exactly Marlo's age, I was intrigued to see so many similar feelings and it made me feel incredibly validated.
The Summary: A single, successful woman with one beautiful pre-teen daughter is compelled to invite her older mother to stay while settling some unresolved issues that have rendered Older Mom without a home. The nature of the matriarch is stubborn, 'last minute', impractical, and loving, which strongly contrasts with her adult daughter, who is pragmatic and wants the best for everyone involved.
I loved Alison Sweeney; I'm a fan of HM movies, but I've missed most of hers and rarely watch any sort of HM series/shows. I recognized her and found her to be a really excellent choice for this role; the story is believable in the way it balances her character's love for her mom with her own need to follow 'formulaic' methods for life.
Her aging mom (Marlo Thomas), is confounding, and I can relate to the insistence, the stronger opinions, the "I'm right, you'll see"-ness that makes for challenging parent-adult child relationships. She overstepped immediately by trying to change the rules of her daughter's household and treating her home as her own (Yes, we want others to feel at home, but allow that invitation to be extended, don't just insist upon it from the start!). Watching Alison's character get frustrated and use her adult voice was gratifying, because it helped me see that I'm not alone, and that I also can improve my ability to show grace. The movie does a great job of showing how people can be hurt by each other but still forgive and uphold respect at all times.
The thing that I found a little uncertain was how Luke McFarlane was supposed to feel; is he interested genuinely in her, or was he just half-heartedly interested? It's hard to know if this was only a manifestation of his job logistics (necessitating a move far away, which would make the relationship impossible) OR if he actually did not feel ready for a relationship up until the very end when he finally returned the interest?
The holiday spirit of this movie was evident to me; the Village piece was beautifully incorporated, and the young lady playing her daughter was awesome - she didn't steal scenes, but she had this demeanor of wonder, a sort of thoughtful, slow-to-react quality to her scenes, which just made her a welcome balance for her very-prepared Mom. I also appreciated that they opted to make her character grateful and sweet vs. The "know it all" teen who prissily snaps at her mom.
The overall theme of this movie in my opinion is respect. It illustrates so many examples of the choice to be respectful, to understand boundaries, and to correct ourselves when we cross those boundaries. The other obvious theme is family dynamics, and giving up a bit of control before we ruin the very things that we worked so hard to acquire with each other. It's true: nothing wonderful comes easily, and this movie shows exactly this concept.
Watch this movie if you want to watch a movie that doesn't follow the usual formulaic romance journey, and instead explores family dynamics and the powerful role they can play in our lives.