A remake of Gianni Di Gregorio’s 2008 comedy Mid-August Lunch, Four Mothers marks the sophomore feature of Irish director Darren Thornton. Set in Ireland, the film stars an ensemble cast that includes James McArdle, Fionnula Flanagan and Niamh Cusack.
Four Mothers follows Edward (McArdle), an author on the brink of launching his book in America but is the full-time carer of his elderly mother Alma (Flanagan). Rendered mute from a stroke, Alma communicates through a speech-generating tablet and is physically dependent on Edward. However, he is forced to take care of four elderly ladies during one weekend while trying to organise a potential book tour in the USA.
In Mid-August Lunch, protagonist Gianni tries to clear his debts by providing holiday care for elderly women. But in Thornton’s remake, the plot takes an incredulous turn as three men – Edward’s close friends, to be exact – unceremoniously dump their unsuspecting mothers to escape the boredom of being their carer…and indulge in Winter Pride in Spain. Although the hysterical premise sets the film’s comical tone, there is a sombreness that emanates from its fine balance between selfishness and selflessness – most of the male characters are seen as selfish for putting their (shallow) needs first while Edward chooses to prioritise Alma’s care over his burgeoning career. In a somewhat predictable plot, he evidently feels burdened with his newfound responsibilities with no-one to care for him except ex-boyfriend Raf (Gaetan Garcia), possibly the film’s most selfless character. Yet McArdle’s emotive performance prevents Edward from being overly pitiful, instead becoming an anchor for the narrative – and the eponymous mothers – to blossom.
Ranging from deadpan Jean (Dearbhla Molloy) and religious Maude (Stella McCusker), the mothers are equally sweet and hilariously offbeat. Although their grown-up sons just see them as a burden, they have a degree of independence and sass that comes through in their humour and forthright attitudes to life. What helps is the truly wholesome camaraderie between the four actresses, which is reminiscent of many great TV shows and films featuring a female quartet such as The Golden Girls, Sex and the City, and Little Women – but Thornton and brother Colin Thornton incorporate a subtle zing in their screenplay that reaffirms the mothers’ newfound sisterhood.
The addition of having four Irish women with gay sons is also a great touch as it raises the mother-son dynamic in the narrative. Edward and his friends display varying levels of camp and frustration, quietly venting their anger in hushed tones but are quickly reduced to simpering sons with a stern look from their mothers. Meanwhile, the ladies’ blunt quips bring bouts of laughter as their opinionated natures seem to have a perspective on everything such as the use of walking aids, modern technology and Edward’s book, a romance about two gay men. Meanwhile, the sub-element of having a gay child – closeted or otherwise – in Ireland from the perspective of a parent doesn’t overwhelm the narrative with negativity. Instead, the acceptance among the mothers is beautifully conveyed – until an emotionally charged scene involving TikTok medium Maura (Cusack) threatens to derail it with cliché sentiment.
Tom Comerford’s cinematography and Darren Thornton’s steady direction ensure that a consistent pacing helps keep the humour on track. In addition, the intimate shots in enclosed areas and gently-lit scenes reaffirm the visually growing closeness among the characters and their respective emotional barriers breaking down. By the time the credits roll, the audience realises while the son might be in the centre of the film, it is the enigmatic mothers driving this heartwarming and witty caper.
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Director: Darren Thornton, Colin Thornton (co-screenwriter)
Stars: James McArdle, Fionnula Flanagan, Niamh Cusack, Dearbhla Molloy, Paddy Glynn, Stella McCusker
Runtime: 89 minutes
Country: Ireland
