25 films to (re)watch about mother-child relationships

If the mother-child relationship is an unbreakable bond, it can often be either loving, complicated, and/or unhappy. We see this in famous movies about the topic of mother-child relationships. Let's have a look at some of the best examples from Hollywood and the world!

In 'Freaky Friday', Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a psychiatrist who's about to remarry. However, she doesn't get along at all with her 15-year-old daughter, Anna (Lindsay Lohan), with whom she doesn't have anything in common. One day, following a spell, Anna and Tess are amazed to discover that they have swapped bodies!

Christine McPherson (Saoirse Ronan), who calls herself 'Lady Bird,' is working hard to not look like her mother (Laurie Metcalf). The latter is loving but stubborn and has a strong character. She works tirelessly as a nurse so that her daughter does not lack anything after her father lost his job.

For 12 years, director Richard Linklater has brought together a group of actors to film scenes of an incredible long-term film project. It follows a family over the passage of time. The child at the center of the story is Mason (Ellar Coltrane), who lives with his sister and his mother (Patricia Arquette). In an Oscar-winning role, Arquette portrays how she continues life after separating from Mason's father (Ethan Hawke).

Joan Crawford won an Oscar for her performance in the title role of this classic movie. She plays a faithful housewife who is forced to look for a job when her husband leaves her. Her daughter Veda (Ann Blyth) doesn't make things easier, because she likes to be spoiled and resents her mother for not providing expensive things to her.

Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) is going through a rough patch after separating from her ex-husband and is worried about raising her daughter, Sarah (Kristen Stewart), on her own. Meg buys a huge house in an upscale neighborhood that happens to have a safe room in it. One night, when three burglars break into the house to steal a fortune hidden by the former owner, she and her daughter are forced to hide in the panic room.

'Mama Mia!' is set in 1999 on a Greek island where Donna (Meryl Streep), her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), and Sophie's fiancé Sky (Dominic Cooper) run a hotel. Just before her wedding, Sophie sends invitations to three men, Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosman), Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgård), and Harry Bright (Colin Firth), trying to find out which one of the three is her biological father.

Based on a true story, or at least the version told from the perspective of the daughter, this movie portrays the difficult relationship between a famous actress and her daughter. The book 'Mommy Dearest' was written by Christina Crawford about her mother Joan. The roles in the film were played by Diana Scarwid and Faye Dunaway, respectively.

Manuela (Cecilia Roth) is a nurse who lives alone with her son Esteban (Eloy Azorín). There is tension between them because he's always avoided telling him about his father.  Right when they argue about this, Esteban is run over by a car. Manuela, inconsolable, goes in search of the man she loved and who is the father of her son.

This lovely film shows how a mother (Toni Collette) gives her daughter (Abigail Breslin) the freedom and support to follow her dream and participate in a 'Little Miss' pageant, even though she and her family have plenty of problems of their own.

Inspired by Stephen King's book, 'Carrie' tells the story of a neurotic and tyrannical mother (Piper Laurie) who makes life difficult for her daughter (Sissy Spacek). Carrie is also bullied by the girls at her school. However, her moment comes when she discovers a strange, supernatural power...

In order to denounce the beauty standards of Miss pageants, a teenager from Texas (Danielle Macdonald) registers for one of those contests. It happens to be organized by her mother (Jennifer Aniston), a former queen of the catwalks who does not accept the appearance of her daughter.

Set in the 1960s, 'Mermaids' shows the life and worries of a free-spirited mother (Cher) and her daughter, a withdrawn teenager (Winona Ryder). A special mention must be made for the soundtrack, as well as the performances of Winona Ryder (nominated for a Golden Globe) and a young Christina Ricci who debuted in this film.

Journalist Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh) learns that her mother, Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates), has been accused of murdering her wealthy boss. She hasn't seen her mother in years but decides to go see her and help her face the charges. The film was based on Stephen King's novel of the same name.

In 'The Florida Project,' Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), six years old, has a strong character. Living in a motel on the outskirts of Disney World, she does whatever she wants while her mother Halley (Bria Vinaite) tries to deal with their precarious situation.

This Dutch movie about several generations of women on a farm in the postwar Netherlands won an Oscar for Best Foreign-Language Film in 1996. It is a feminist story with Willeke van Ammelrooy as the matriarch who teaches her offspring and anyone else joining her farm how to be just, strong, and step up for one another.

A rebellious teenager (Lindsay Lohan) has a very conflicted relationship with her mother (Felicity Huffman). The reason is understandable and shocking. her stepfather is secretly abusing her. When the girl is forced to spend the summer with her grandmother (Jane Fonda), the trip brings the three generations of women together and reveals previously buried family secrets. It proves that even in the most difficult times, the mother-daughter bond is unbreakable.

A single mother raising her three children on her own, Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) struggles after a car accident for which she is not compensated by the responsible driver. Forced to take on a job to cover her medical and legal expenses, Erin starts archiving papers for her lawyer. While doing that, she unearths a shady corporate poisoning case and decides to seek justice. Julia Roberts won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe, SAG, and several other awards for this film, which was based on a real story.

In a working-class neighborhood in Madrid, three generations of women struggle to get through life with kindness, audacity, and vitality. The Pedro Almodóvar-directed movie features Penélope Cruz, who was nominated for an Oscar.

Juno McGuff (Elliot Page) is a 16-year-old who accidentally gets pregnant when she sleeps with Bleeker (Michael Cera). She decides to find a couple of adoptive parents to take care of her baby. Supported by her family, Juno meets the Lorings (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman), and over the course of her pregnancy, she has to show maturity and courage.

A mother (Angelina Jolie) in 1920s Los Angeles witnesses the kidnapping of her son. When she finally gets him back, she has serious doubts: is he really her son? A suspenseful movie about a mother searching for the truth about her child.

The daughter of Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) is murdered and in the following months, there is no news from the murder investigation. Hayes, therefore, takes matters into her own hands and posts a controversial message about the police chief on three large signs at the entrance to their town. It's a touching story, based on real events, of a mother who seeks justice for her daughter. Frances McDormand won an Oscar for the role.

At the New York City Ballet, long-time cast member Nina (Natalie Portman) thinks her finest hour has come with the performance of 'Swan Lake.' However, a rival appears with the beautiful and sensual Lily (Mila Kunis). Nina tries to get support from her mother, Erica (Barbara Hershey), an austere woman who controls her life, but the dynamic between them is complex and not always helpful.

Florence (Marina Foïs) and Vincent Leroy (Laurent Lafitte) have succeeded in their professions and their family life. However, they now want to divorce and both want it to go as smoothly as everything else in their lives.  In an absurd turn of this comedy, Mom and Dad's efforts to avoid getting custody of the children make for some hilarious and tragicomic scenes.

At a young age, Guillaume is convinced that he is a girl. While his father despairs, Guillaume's mother is delighted and supports her child in a funny and gentle way. A modern tale about transgender identity and motherly love.

From former Yugoslavia comes this remarkable film about the relationship between a grandmother and her grandson. Perhan is the son of a soldier who dreams of a rich and happy future. Raised by his grandmother with his disabled sister, he is dramatically torn from them and leaves for Italy, where he works for a child trafficker...