The Mother 2023
5.6 / 10
The Mother
A deadly female assassin comes out of hiding to protect the daughter that she gave up years before, while on the run from dangerous men.
A deadly female assassin comes out of hiding to protect the daughter that she gave up years before, while on the run from dangerous men.
Videos & Photos
All 1 Videos & 70 Photos
cast
Full Cast & Crew
... Mother
... Zoe
... Cruise
... Adrian
... Hector
... Jons
User reviews
See All 4 Reviews08 May 2023 by Manuel São Bento
MORE SPOILER-FREE MINI-REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/mini-reviews-2023-edition "The Mother is an instantly forgettable Netflix film about a spy mother who must protect her estranged daughter because "bad people from the past". Jennifer Lopez is good, Lucy Paez is GREAT, but none save it from its bland, generic story. Expected more from Niki Caro." Rating: D+
Release Date:
May 04, 2023 (United States)
Run Time:
1hr 55`
MMPA Rating:
R
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
United States
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:
Related Movies To
The Mother
MORE SPOILER-FREE MINI-REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/mini-reviews-2023-edition "The Mother is an instantly forgettable Netflix film about a spy mother who must protect her estranged daughter because "bad people from the past". Jennifer Lopez is good, Lucy Paez is GREAT, but none save it from its bland, generic story. Expected more from Niki Caro." Rating: D+
Ironically, these tale about a mother and daughter, fails because the male characters have no depth. The villain is evil sure, but also extremely stupid and escaping from her first attempt to kill him in a very unbelievable and unexplained way. The romantic tension between Cruise and the mother also doesn't work and the age old friendship with Jons is also not given any backstory. I'm enclined to blame the casting here. Well, the story was lacking and oddly edited as well, but it may be because there wasn't much to work with. Either way, it's clear this is supposed to be about a mother/daughter relationship, but also be an action move and the director / writers / actors couldn't make it work. 3/10, 2 points cause I've seen worse, not because I can find something positive in it.
**The Mother is an average straight-to-stream action thriller that does a decent job but won’t last too long in your memory or heart.** The Mother is a generic assassin turned parent protecting/avenging their child from a mob of drug runners/arms dealers. While in the vein of films like Taken or Peppermint, The Mother makes a critical error the other films didn’t - a 2-hour runtime. Its bigger budget made this movie feel slightly more polished, but stretching its meager story 30 minutes longer than many in this subgenre took its toll. The pacing dragged along between the action sequences, sometimes leaving the movie feeling too long and tedious. The production quality of the action set pieces was decent, but the action itself was fairly basic. Jennifer Lopez is fun as the intense and withdrawn mother assassin and undoubtedly is the best part of the movie. The Mother is nowhere near an awful film, and reviews that say otherwise probably set their expectations too high. It's a run-of-the-mill action streamer that gets the job done, blows some stuff up, shoots some bad guys, and despite being forgettable, didn’t feel like a total waste of time.
In spite of the rather, by now, predictable and formulaic story, woke-ness and a dash of US exceptionalism (for those paying attention) The Mother does have something to offer the viewer. The first thing, is surprisingly engaging acting, from Jennifer Lopez. I'd always associated her with music, although I was aware of her forays into acting, over the years. Lopez hands in an above average performance as a assassin, with mothering instincts. Lopez's chemistry with Lucy Paez, who plays her her daughter, really binds this film together and elevates it, beyond its otherwise pedestrian credentials. Action wise, there's a lot on offer too but its also rather forgettable. Ultimately, its the performances of the lead cast, that make this film, a modest success.
Cast & Crew of
The Mother
Directors & Credit Writers
Cast
... Mother
... Zoe
... Cruise
... Adrian
... Hector
... Jons
... Tarantula
... Sonya
... SAIC Eleanor Williams
... Zoe's Adopted Dad
... Marcus Stone
... C-Section Nurse
... New Father
... Fed at Zoe's House
... Cuban OB / GYN
... Medical Clinic Nurse
... Arms Dealer
... Exal Room Doctor
... FedEx Worker
... FBI Tip Line (voice)
Produced By
Related Movies To
The Mother
The Old Guard 2 (2025)
0 /10
Andy and her team of immortal warriors fight with renewed purpose as they face a powerful new foe threatening their mission to protect humanity.
Run Time: 1hr 47` . MMPA: R . Release: 01 Jul 2025
Director: Dan Bradley , Victoria Mahoney , Scott Bunce
Producer: Don Granger , Luca Waldman , A.J. Dix
Stars: Charlize Theron , KiKi Layne , Matthias Schoenaerts , Marwan Kenzari , Luca Marinelli , Veronica Ngo
Ballerina (2025)
0 /10
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Eve Macarro begins her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
Run Time: 2hr 5` . MMPA: R . Release: 04 Jun 2025
Director: Matej Kricner , Len Wiseman , Chad Stahelski
Producer: Erica Lee , Basil Iwanyk , Keanu Reeves
Stars: Ana de Armas , Ian McShane , Anjelica Huston , Norman Reedus , Keanu Reeves , Lance Reddick
Thunderbolts* (2025)
0 /10
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Run Time: 2hr 7` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 30 Apr 2025
Director: Jeremy Silveira , Jeff Okabayashi , Jake Schreier
Producer: Sarah Halley Finn , Allana Williams , Victoria Alonso
Stars: Sebastian Stan , Florence Pugh , David Harbour , Wyatt Russell , Olga Kurylenko , Hannah John-Kamen
Ice Road: Vengeance (2025)
0 /10
Big rig ice road driver Mike McCann travels to Nepal to scatter his late brother’s ashes on Mt. Everest. While on a packed tour bus traversing the deadly 12,000 ft. terrain of the infamous Road to the Sky, McCann and his mountain guide encounter a group of mercenaries and must fight to save themselves, the busload of innocent travelers, and the local villagers’ homeland.
Run Time: 1hr 53` . MMPA: R . Release: 27 Jun 2025
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Producer: Bart Rosenblatt , Myles Nestel , Lee Nelson
Stars: Liam Neeson , Fan Bingbing , Mahesh Jadu , Marcus Thomas , Bernard Curry , Michala Banas
Heads of State (2025)
0 /10
The UK Prime Minister and US President have a public rivalry that risks their countries' alliance. But when they become targets of a powerful enemy, they're forced to rely on each other as they go on a wild, multinational run. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent, they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.
Run Time: 1hr 53` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 02 Jul 2025
Director: Matthew Sharp , Ilya Naishuller , Jo Beckett
Producer: John Rickard , Peter Safran , Idris Elba
Stars: Idris Elba , John Cena , Priyanka Chopra Jonas , Paddy Considine , Stephen Root , Carla Gugino
Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)
0 /10
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, covert operations expert Zora Bennett is contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world's three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora's operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that's been hidden from the world for decades.
Run Time: 2hr 14` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 01 Jul 2025
Director: Ben Cooke , David Vickery , David Leitch
Producer: Kelly McCormick , Patrick Crowley , Winston Azzopardi
Stars: Scarlett Johansson , Jonathan Bailey , Manuel Garcia-Rulfo , Rupert Friend , Richard Gadd , Mahershala Ali
House of Ga'a (2024)
0 /10
At the height of the Oyo Empire, the ferocious Bashorun Ga'a became more powerful than the kings he enthroned, only to be undone by his own blood.
Run Time: 2hr . MMPA: R . Release: 26 Jul 2024
Director: Bolanle Austen-Peters
Producer: Bolanle Austen-Peters
Stars: Femi Branch , Mike Afolarin , Funke Akindele , Toyin Abraham , Ibrahim Chatta , Femi Adebayo
First Shift (2024)
0 /10
NYPD veteran Mike and rookie Angela tackle a high-stakes day on New York's toughest streets, diving headfirst into a vortex of danger and action. Their adrenaline-fueled pursuits and unexpected threats unfold as they navigate perilous encounters. Amidst the chaos, intense challenges forge unbreakable bonds.
Run Time: 1hr 29` . MMPA: . Release: 30 Aug 2024
Director: Phillip Rush , Uwe Boll , Béla Baptiste
Producer: Anthony Argento , Ari Taub , Uwe Boll
Stars: Kristen Renton , Gino Anthony Pesi , Garry Pastore , James McMenamin , Willie C. Carpenter , Michael Emery
KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
0 /10
When K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey aren't selling out stadiums, they're using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats.
Run Time: 1hr 36` . MMPA: PG . Release: 20 Jun 2025
Director: Sean Tadlock , Chris Appelhans , Elizabeth Schantz
Producer: Brett Salinas , Braxton Marie Thompson , Kaylee Yibing Hou
Stars: Rolando Davila-Beltran , Arden Cho , May Hong , Ji-young Yoo , Ahn Hyo-seop , Yunjin Kim
How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
0 /10
On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart, defying centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.
Run Time: 2hr 5` . MMPA: PG . Release: 06 Jun 2025
Director: Lizzie Pritchard , Dean DeBlois , Fraser Fennell-Ball
Producer: Chris Sanders , Dean DeBlois , Marc Platt
Stars: Mason Thames , Nico Parker , Gerard Butler , Nick Frost , Julian Dennison , Gabriel Howell
F1 (2025)
0 /10
Racing legend Sonny Hayes is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver—while chasing one more chance at glory.
Run Time: 2hr 36` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 25 Jun 2025
Director: Adam Kirley , Kailyn Dabkowski , Joseph Kosinski
Producer: Penni Thow , Dani Lasser , Erin Duffy
Stars: Brad Pitt , Damson Idris , Kerry Condon , Tobias Menzies , Lewis Hamilton , Javier Bardem
Crypto Legacy (2020)
2.5 /10
Troy Morgan doesn't like his family's farm. The place creeps him out. After spotting some strange lights one evening, Troy and his little sister Carrie go to investigate the creepy barn.
Run Time: 1hr 11` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2020
Director: Charles Townsend
Producer: Charles Townsend
Stars: Sheri Gill Dixon , Brian Kunz , Brandon Young , Nathaniel Barton , Linzi Gray , Thalia Reynolds