Ma mère (2004)

Director:

Christophe Honoré

Writers:

Georges Bataille (novel)
Christophe Honoré (writer)

Release Date:

19 May 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based on George Bataille's posthumous and controversial novel: When his father dies, a young man is introduced by his attractive, amoral mother to a world of hedonism and depravity.

Plot Keywords:

Exhibitionism | Sunbathing | Bdsm | S&M | Spanking

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Hélène, the Mother
Louis Garrel	...	Pierre, the Son
Emma de Caunes	...	Hansi
Joana Preiss	...	Réa
Jean-Baptiste Montagut	...	Loulou
Dominique Reymond	...	Marthe
Olivier Rabourdin	...	Robert
Philippe Duclos	...	The Father
Pascal Tokatlian	...	Klaus
Théo Hakola	...	Ian
Nuno Lopes	...	The Doctor
Patrick Fanik	...	Eric
Susi Egetenmeier	...	Woman in dunes
Sylvia Johnson	...	Woman of couple

Also Known As:

Meine Mutter (Austria)
My Mother (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for strong and aberrant sexual content.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

France | Portugal | Austria | Spain

Language:

French | English | German | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (cut) | Australia:R | Canada:18A | Portugal:M/18 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | France:-16 | Italy:VM18 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Canary Islands, Spain

Company:

Madragoa Filmes

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Caché (2005)

Soundtrack:

Happy Together

one of the most whacked-out movies I have ever watched!

As someone who has watched 1000's of films and actually likes foreign films, this was one of the most whacked-out movies I have ever watched. I fully appreciate that the subject matter is unconventional, and that people who get into such weird mental places do not have pedestrial social behavior. Also, most French films tend to take on unusualy subject manner and are much more direct in approach than US films when it comes to sex and sexuality. However, I feel like I was being thrown against a wall with one morally disgusting scene after another. I suppose it doesn't help when you instantly hate the main character, wonder if any of the adults act like adults (much less who isn't sexually overcharged), wonder why none of the teens have any common sense, and it just keeps going. You gain sympathy for certain characters and you realize the reason none of the adults act like adults is because...well..they have real problems. I will say it is beautifully shot and the direction just adds to the intensity, but thats about I can come up with in terms of redeeming qualities in what is one big mess!