User reviews

Mrs. Martin (Sissy Spacek) is a single mother of three active children. One is almost-a-teen, Elizabeth (Anna Chlumsky), who finds mother's orders most awful, especially the one where she can not go shopping with friends. Elizabeth's two younger brothers are also upset that mother never has time to make pancakes but always makes time to insist on them cleaning the fish bowl and their bedrooms. Things go from bad to worse when Elizabeth is caught smoking at school and the younger boys get in a schoolyard tussle. Mom grounds them all for a month, at least. The next day, as the trio are allowed to visit a nice lady (Maureen Stapleton), who hired them to work in her garden over the summer, they learn of a magic spell which would allow them to choose a new mother from the "Mommy Market". Acting rashly, the three of them use the enchantment and mother does indeed vanish. But, at the market, there are no really attractive mothers, so they take a chance on a French lady (also Sissy Spacek) who has a cook. She ends up being a disaster as a mom. Yet, the kids only have two more chances to pick a new parent. Will they find the mother of their misguided dreams? This is pleasant little film but nothing extraordinary. Spacek shows off her abundant talent by taking on four different roles; one of them, the outdoorsy-mom, is a scream. The children, too, are very winning and Stapleton does a fine turn, too, as the gardening friend. All of the lesser roles are fulfilled well, also. As for the looks of the movie, it is quite attractive, with fun costumes, sets, and scenery. The script and the direction are fairly well-done, too. All in all, this is a nice flick for the family on any given night. Trade in those re-runs and get this one for a "something different" night in the near future.

This movie was one of my favorites when I was a Kid. It is a very unique and thoughtful movie for the whole family to see. It really puts into perspective that it doesn't matter if someone can give you everything you could ever want, take you where you want to go all the time, or is so much more fun, no one in this world can replace your Mom. I love how this movie brings in morals to the kids who watch this movie. A lot will realise that your Mother is one of the dearest and irreplaceable people in your life. The only problem I had with the move was the ending. I did not like Harry's choice at all. I believe they should of had the last Mother choice to be more interesting and a longer outcome then Natasha. All in all I believe your whole family will enjoy this and will be a movie you will remember for years to come.

No deep or philosophical meaning.

Just a happy, fun movie great for a rainy Saturday. Made me smile.

So wholesome and heartwarming.

Silly? Yes but in a good way.

Trading Mom (The Mummy Market.) is a really cute family movie, which stars Sissy Spacek as a mum, wished away by her kids. One of the kids being Anna Chlumsky, who with her brothers go in search for a new mum at "The Mummy Market". After, they try out some new mums they realise they want their old and real mum back. And, of course they get her back. Sissy Spacek and Anna Chlumsky both give good performances here. I think this is a really light-weight, great movie, especially for young kids/teens. I really enjoyed this, especially when I was younger.

When I first heard about "Trading Mom"--Sissy Spacek as a harried single mother whose kids wish her completely away, replacing her with a series of substitutes, all portrayed by Spacek in different guises--I thought it sounded great, and just the boost Sissy's career needed. But what a disappointment "Trading Mom" turns out to be. Based on the book "The Mummy Market" by Nancy Brelis, and adapted by the film's director, Tia Brelis, the comedy is poorly-paced and produced, and features the kind of movie-kids that make your teeth ache. As for Spacek, she's fine (as always) but is defeated by the colorless script. Some brief flashes of wit, nothing more. *1/2 from ****

Good Movie Great cast With Oscar Winner Sissy Spacek who Played The Mom Maureen Stapleton not related to Jean Anna Chlumsky Veep and My Girl 1 and My Girl true Great I watched this movie on The Disney Channel before Miley Cyrus Mid 90s this had Asher Melnick from The Torkelsons. This has Similar themes To North The same year as Trading Mom also it was very funny I don't know if its a movie or a Tv Movie I give this movie 4 stars i recommend this movie North and The Babysitters Club (1995) Great movie this was part of Wonderful World of Disney Some people would say this movie this silly I Don't this movie was originally called The Mommy Market.

I did not like this movie. The kids are ungrateful, unlikable brats. The movie starts with the mom having a bad day. She comes home and She is stressed out and She is upset that the house is a mess, and the kids are being lazy. The kids are mad that their mom doesn't make pancakes or is always telling them what to do or doesn't let them do whatever they want (you know like a real mother). The eldest son then gets in trouble for fighting at school and the daughter gets in trouble for putting an unlit cigarette in her mouth for a millisecond. The principal really seems to have it in for the Martin kids. Mrs. Martin doesn't want to hear it and punishes the kids - no camp, no TV, no going out for the whole summer. No offense, lady, but you have to be home with them so isn't that more like a punishment on you?

Anyway, the brats decide they don't like Mrs. Martin anymore, so they decided to magically trade her in for another mom at the Mommy market.

The gimmick is Sissy Spacek plays each of the three potential new Moms the kids audition. Each one is cartoonishly flawed. Rich, French Mom wants them to dress a certain way, makes them eat octopi, and cramps their style. Outdoorsy Sport loving Mom makes them go camping in the rain and is overly pedantic and competitive during a game of kickball. Circus Freak Mom is well, a circus freak.

None of the movie makes a lot of sense so I don't even going to bother telling you how it is resolved.

Sissy Spacek frankly embarrasses herself in this movie with the various ridiculous costumes and fake accents. At one point She gets covered in fresh horse dung. I kid you not. None of her four characters are particularly likable. In fact, Nobody is likable in this movie.

There is nothing redeeming of this movie. It is not "So Bad It is entertaining", it is so bad it is bad.

Fun bit of trivia: A certain familiar looking freckled face redheaded girl shows up briefly during the kickball with the kids scene.

I remember watching this as a kid. It's actually very sad. Every kid's worst nightmare, really. Losing your mom, losing your mom to someone else, it might be what they thought they wanted - but can you imagine the unbearable feeling of when it finally dawns on them how wrong they were?! Can you imagine the fear of never getting your mom back because of your own stupidity?!

Under the guise of a light-hearted kids movie, this is actually a cautionary tale of be careful what you wish for! It's a good movie, and very effective for the emotional impact that it has on me at the very thought of doing what those kids did! I just can't imagine! Well, I can, and that's the problem.

Good movie, but ultimately tragic for a while. Very tragic! This movie gave me the feeling of death, even though nobody really dies in it. Wow, for a movie to be able to do that, that's some kind of powerful film!

When this movie first came out I was 5 and my older brother was 12. He literally had me convinced that the mommy market was real. He told me our mom wasn't our real mom and that him and our other older brother used up all our tokens lol

Elizabeth, Jeremy and Harry are sick of their mother always nagging at them and telling them what to do. They would want nothing more then to make her disappear. Due to a spell, their wish comes true and the next morning when they wake up, no mother, no nothing! The kids are off to a mummy market, a market where you can choose between loads of different mothers. First they are happy to be without their mother but then they realize that they miss her and that no one could ever take her place. This is a very nice family movie that everyone would enjoy. I would give Trading Mom 8/10

The beest movie for kids, i recommend for parents who doesnt know what kind of movie can be good for her sons

i saw this movie for the first time about 4 years ago...i liked it, it seemed really nice- these kids wish their mother away, and they have to go to a "mommy market" to get another one. they cant find one they like, so they wish really hard for their mother to come back, and their wishing breaks their spell. nice huh? well thats basically the premise on the surface, but after watching the movie a few times, i started to think about it and really listen to some of the lines- theres definately more to this movie than meets the eye. i havent read the book it was based on, so i might be wrong, but my theory is that these three kids wish that all memory of their mother dissapear, and when this happens, every aspect of their mother (cooking, shopping, cleaning, playing games, etc) is portrayed as a mother. the kids pick the aspects that they like best, and they think they will be happy, but the truth is they need all the aspects of their mother. the woman who lives next door to them tries to explain this but rather cryptically- she cant exactly say it or they wont figure it out for themselves. she tells them that they have to really truly pick their mother. what they have been doing is picking a mother than they think is the coolest mom or the most fun. when they create a memory, they are picking a mother who really cares about them and who they really love. this brings her back. the only thing that is confusing is that when the spell is broken (when they wake up the next day and see their mother) there are still signs of the other mothers having been there (fluffy pillows, a circus prop, and a racoon trap). im probably way over-analyzing this movie, but i think its a really interesting film that u should see.

It might seem a dull movie, and well kind of is. Anna Chulumsky is great however in the movie as well as the two actors that play her brother. Its not in every Blockbuster in town, but if you get a chance to rent a movie, look for this one (just make sure youre doing something while watching it, it won't seem as boring.)