Mother's Child
- 2020
- 2h 7m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
A couple mutually decide to give their baby up for adoption to go back to living their separate lives.A couple mutually decide to give their baby up for adoption to go back to living their separate lives.A couple mutually decide to give their baby up for adoption to go back to living their separate lives.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 2 nominations total
Shantel Page
- Mandy Barrett
- (as Sarah Amanda Haugh)
Gezim Gojnovci
- Tom
- (as Tony Williams)
Julie Stoddern
- Denise
- (as Julie Stoddern Raywood)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Summary
Reviewers say 'Mother's Child' is a thought-provoking film with a compelling storyline and strong performances, especially from Swaylee Loughnane and Sarah Amanda Haugh. It explores deep themes of family, identity, and relationships, often evoking strong emotional responses. Critics praise its realistic portrayal and challenging narrative. However, some find it confusing and criticize its lack of focus. Despite mixed opinions, many appreciate its original story, impressive locations, and talented cast. Loughnane's direction is frequently highlighted.
Featured reviews
Mother's Child is an evocative family drama that delves deep into the intricacies of maternal love, sacrifice, and the often-complex bond between a mother and her children. With a tightly woven narrative, nuanced performances, and emotionally charged moments, this drama leaves a lasting impression on the viewer, making it more than just a tale of domestic conflict-it's a study in unconditional love and the price of sacrifice.
At the heart of the drama is the central figure of the mother, whose character is beautifully written and brought to life with a raw, heartfelt performance. She is portrayed not just as a caregiver, but as a woman shaped by circumstances-resilient, flawed, and deeply human. Her journey is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as she navigates poverty, personal loss, and the emotional distance of her children, who have grown apart from her in different ways.
What makes Mother's Child stand out is its layered storytelling. It doesn't rely on melodrama alone but explores real issues such as generational trauma, identity, the burden of expectations, and the sacrifices parents make in silence. The story traces how these sacrifices often go unnoticed, and how children, as they grow older, may come to resent or misunderstand the very actions that were meant to protect them.
The drama is rich in character development. Each of the mother's children is distinctly written, with their own motivations, conflicts, and emotional arcs. Whether it's the eldest who bears the burden of responsibility, the middle child struggling with identity and acceptance, or the youngest lost in the noise of family dysfunction, the series gives space for each to grow and evolve. Their gradual realization of their mother's silent endurance forms the emotional core of the show.
The cinematography complements the mood of the series with muted tones and intimate framing that keeps the focus on the characters' expressions and emotions. The background score is subtle yet effective, enhancing the drama without overwhelming the scenes.
Direction is tight and sensitive, ensuring that even the most emotionally charged scenes never feel overdone. The writers deserve credit for avoiding clichés and instead opting for realism. Dialogues are powerful, often minimal but deeply impactful-especially in scenes of confrontation and reconciliation.
One of the most powerful aspects of Mother's Child is its exploration of forgiveness-not just between family members, but self-forgiveness as well. The mother's arc, in particular, is not about being perfect but about finding peace with the choices she had to make. There is no sugar-coating of her mistakes, and yet, the series urges viewers to see the context behind every decision.
Despite its strengths, the drama occasionally suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the middle episodes where the plot stalls in repetitive conflict. However, it picks up momentum again toward the final stretch, culminating in a moving, bittersweet finale that offers closure without resorting to convenient resolutions.
In conclusion, Mother's Child is a poignant and thought-provoking drama that resonates with anyone who has experienced the complexities of family life. It reminds us of the unseen battles our parents fight and the emotional debts we often forget to acknowledge. With its compelling narrative and heartfelt performances, this is a drama that stays with you long after the credits roll.
At the heart of the drama is the central figure of the mother, whose character is beautifully written and brought to life with a raw, heartfelt performance. She is portrayed not just as a caregiver, but as a woman shaped by circumstances-resilient, flawed, and deeply human. Her journey is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as she navigates poverty, personal loss, and the emotional distance of her children, who have grown apart from her in different ways.
What makes Mother's Child stand out is its layered storytelling. It doesn't rely on melodrama alone but explores real issues such as generational trauma, identity, the burden of expectations, and the sacrifices parents make in silence. The story traces how these sacrifices often go unnoticed, and how children, as they grow older, may come to resent or misunderstand the very actions that were meant to protect them.
The drama is rich in character development. Each of the mother's children is distinctly written, with their own motivations, conflicts, and emotional arcs. Whether it's the eldest who bears the burden of responsibility, the middle child struggling with identity and acceptance, or the youngest lost in the noise of family dysfunction, the series gives space for each to grow and evolve. Their gradual realization of their mother's silent endurance forms the emotional core of the show.
The cinematography complements the mood of the series with muted tones and intimate framing that keeps the focus on the characters' expressions and emotions. The background score is subtle yet effective, enhancing the drama without overwhelming the scenes.
Direction is tight and sensitive, ensuring that even the most emotionally charged scenes never feel overdone. The writers deserve credit for avoiding clichés and instead opting for realism. Dialogues are powerful, often minimal but deeply impactful-especially in scenes of confrontation and reconciliation.
One of the most powerful aspects of Mother's Child is its exploration of forgiveness-not just between family members, but self-forgiveness as well. The mother's arc, in particular, is not about being perfect but about finding peace with the choices she had to make. There is no sugar-coating of her mistakes, and yet, the series urges viewers to see the context behind every decision.
Despite its strengths, the drama occasionally suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the middle episodes where the plot stalls in repetitive conflict. However, it picks up momentum again toward the final stretch, culminating in a moving, bittersweet finale that offers closure without resorting to convenient resolutions.
In conclusion, Mother's Child is a poignant and thought-provoking drama that resonates with anyone who has experienced the complexities of family life. It reminds us of the unseen battles our parents fight and the emotional debts we often forget to acknowledge. With its compelling narrative and heartfelt performances, this is a drama that stays with you long after the credits roll.
Swaylee has done an incredible job here to his credit. In both the direction and acting this has been carried out incredibly well. Thought encouraging scenes play out with regularity, every character has their place and a clear role to play in the story being told about adoption and family separation.
Deals with real life issues in confident and connecting style. The impressive talent of the up and coming actors in this film shines through in many moments. Considering the lower budget end it has a close to Hollywood feeling, all credit to the cast, crew and writers. Worth watching many times over!
MTS.
Deals with real life issues in confident and connecting style. The impressive talent of the up and coming actors in this film shines through in many moments. Considering the lower budget end it has a close to Hollywood feeling, all credit to the cast, crew and writers. Worth watching many times over!
MTS.
At the start this movie seems like it will flow and be a nice smooth calm movie, however it exceeded my expectations beyond. The movie turned in to such a powerful and emotional rollercoaster.
Swaylee is an excellent actor and director
What a man Swaylee is to Act and direct this excellent feature film.
The drone shots, the locations, the musical score all wonderful. A massive cast of the best British talent around and lovely scenes in the Mercury mall in Essex.
Romford has been put on the map thanks to the worldwide success of Mother's Child now a yearly fixture on most people's calendar on Mother's Day. My own mother loves it. What a powerful performance by lead actress Sarah Amanda Haugh in her feature film debut and what can I say about Swaylee? Handsome and a pleasure to watch him.
Lovely co stars like Clarke Tribe and Sammy Simmans who played their roles brilliantly too.
Swaylee really pulled off something great with this film. It has done so well around the world and I'm really not surprised as it's a really great watch.
Nice performance by Paul Gardner, the park scene being my favourite scene. I also love the scenes in Swaylee's montage as it's like watching one of those 80's classics. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. A compelling film.
What a man Swaylee is to Act and direct this excellent feature film.
The drone shots, the locations, the musical score all wonderful. A massive cast of the best British talent around and lovely scenes in the Mercury mall in Essex.
Romford has been put on the map thanks to the worldwide success of Mother's Child now a yearly fixture on most people's calendar on Mother's Day. My own mother loves it. What a powerful performance by lead actress Sarah Amanda Haugh in her feature film debut and what can I say about Swaylee? Handsome and a pleasure to watch him.
Lovely co stars like Clarke Tribe and Sammy Simmans who played their roles brilliantly too.
Swaylee really pulled off something great with this film. It has done so well around the world and I'm really not surprised as it's a really great watch.
Nice performance by Paul Gardner, the park scene being my favourite scene. I also love the scenes in Swaylee's montage as it's like watching one of those 80's classics. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. A compelling film.
Mother's Child is an interesting, thought-provoking movie. It contains great acting from the main characters especially. Mother's Child has an original story-line and it is very moving. I would recommend this film to anyone! I like how down-to-Earth and realistic the characters and the plot are and I like the way it has been filmed. I also liked how the subject matter challenges its viewers. You get very emotionally involved in the story and captured by the suffering of the characters. Mother's Child has important themes that capture the audience. If you're looking for an interesting movie, go and watch this film!!
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie is based on true events.
- SoundtracksO' Child
Performed by Minouche Kaftel
- How long is Mother's Child?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Mothers Child
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- £250,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 7 minutes
- Color
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