Katie's Mom

It's rare to find a movie this smart and funny. Hilarious, well written, zany and totally enjoyable. If you're looking for a comedy that's more interesting and complex than the politically correct options available now, you'll love this film. I'm glad I found it. It's sexy and outrageous and the writer doesn't shy away from a taboo subject and deals respectfully with the power and vulnerability of a woman on the brink of menopause when she realizes she is anything but invisible, in fact she's got it going on. This film is brilliant and the best I've seen in a long time, which is why I've taken the time to highly recommend it.

A mom who has a fling with her daughter's boyfriend sounds like a terrible person, and how is this a comedy? I loved this film and watched it twice - it's very funny and turns surprisingly emotional when the mom and daughter must face the consequences. Some reviewers mentioned a happy ending - not quite. The great script and acting make you accept the mom's tryst as inevitable, you enjoy the seduction happening, and kind of root for it because the main character - Dina, the mom, is likable and clearly needs a shot of dopamine to get out of a funk. The boyfriend is charming in a good way - he wants everyone to be happy. This is a fresh Indie take on comedy-drama. Nothing feels formulaic. Some California references or culture might have been lost on me - but that's why I watch foreign films! I highly recommend this.

There are a lot of reasons you might dislike the characters in Katie's Mom, but you end up incredibly charmed by all of them by the end.

I've seen this movie four times and I find more reasons to love it each time. All of the relationships are excellently layered and fleshed out in a way that makes you feel part of the family--which in this case is definitely complicated, hahaha!

The story really builds and moves, never lagging. It's obviously not your typical rom com, but it definitely scratches that itch with a subversive twist in this modern nod to The Graduate from Mrs. Robinson's perspective.

Since the unfortunate death of Nora Ephron we've seen a boatload of D+, not well written romcoms ultimately get glowing reviews just for allowing Anne Hathaway to look and act 24 at 40, and then calling her brave for dating... a 24 year-old. Katie's mom is much better written and it was a relief to see Dina Meyer being a truly beautiful middle aged woman embracing the perks that come with aging, and being appreciated for them by young men. It is an overall imperfect, but highly watchable film. One of the characters overdid it a bit at playing annoying to the point of not inspiring enough sympathy when she experiences long-overdue character growth at the end, and there were a couple trope moments it would have been stronger without.

Overall story feels a bit like a first draft but had some fun moments. Main lady and katie's bf were good, but some of the other acting was spotty. Some plot points were way too stereotypical . Like, a woman in her 50s doesn't know about menopause?? You'd expect that coming from male creators, but apparently women wrote this. I guess that was just the easiest way to tie things up (not a surprise given the entire plot is based on a 50 year old movie. They weren't trying to reinvent the wheel here). Also take issue with the happy ending which is so unrealistic. The daughter should cut ties with her mom or intervene because she's clearly mentally ill and needs help. Anyway, iff you watch this and want to stop it after an hour, you won't be alone. Way too long.