THIS movie is based on the premise that it is impossible to be a good mother today because of the myriad things she has do for the family on top of holding a job. Something just has to give.
In the case of the titular character, Amy (Mila Kunis, best known for 2010’s Black Swan), she decides to embrace all her flaws and throw the good parenting books out with the garbage.
Two other mothers agree with her, a submissive Kiki (Kristen Bell of TV’s Gossip Girl fame) and hot mama Carla (Kathryn Hahn, We Are The Millers).
Amy’s nemesis is the queen bee of the Parent-Teacher Association, Gwendolyn (Christina Applegate, Anchorman) who is a perfectionist when it comes to what makes the ideal mother. She is the one who organises bake sales, with a digital powerpoint presentation no less, and wields such authority over the school that she can even get Amy’s child benched for soccer.
The high priestess of motherhood with the perfectly coiffured hair and immaculate clothes, leads the “Stepford” mothers clique comprising Stacy (Jada Pinkett Smith, better known as Will Smith’s wife) and Vicky (Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids).
When Amy decides she’s getting off the mothers’ merry-go-round, not only does that include getting her two children to do their own homework and make their own breakfast (someone else obviously cleans the house!), but it also means kicking out her bum of a husband called Mike (David Walton of TV’s New Girl fame) who seems to be on perpetual holiday or on weed.
We cheer her as she starts to enjoy her life, although her children suffer a little in the aftermath of such decisions. No more healthy salads for school and no more doing their home projects for them.
I don’t know if getting drunk, not going to work, getting into bed with a hot guy (Jay Hernandez) and acting crazy at the supermarket constitute enjoying life, or just plain being a bad mother. It’s just poor behaviour, and not just by a mother.
That seems to be a Hollywood trend these past few years, from Bridesmaids in 2011 and Trainwreck (2015) to this year’s How To Be Single. These movies show women behaving like teenagers whose parents have left them oodles of money and have disappeared forever.
But here’s the real problem: Bad Moms seems to be a movie of cliched stereotypes and no substance behind these characters. Amy’s harried mother role; Kiki’s stay-at-home submission; Carla’s tarty singleness are just that, and so too with the “Stepford” trio.
No layers of depth have been given to these characters. Watching Bad Moms is like watching men tell women how they think bad mothers should behave.
Perhaps the blame can be laid on the scriptwriters, Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who are also the directors of this movie. These guys gave cinemagoers The Hangover movies (2009, 2011, 2013), good fun but no brainers.
Bad Moms (like The Hangover) comes across as a series of gags rather than a good narrative that binds the premise. Here’s one example: When Amy, Kiki and Carla decide to throw a “Make Amy the PTA president” party, the scene becomes almost like a live cartoon. It’s in-your-face humour.
Hahn does the best comic screen turn since Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, The Hangover) stepped into the celluloid world. Hahn’s timing and delivery are natural. From the start, she makes her impact when she takes a selfie with tongue out and one hand pushing up her assets.
Hernandez is wonderfully suited as the fantasy hunk of every woman today. You can see more of him in the upcoming Suicide Squad.
The best part of this movie is the friendship between Amy and her new mummy friends. It’s believable.
At its best, Bad Moms is plain entertainment, with a lot of sexual innuendos. I wouldn’t watch it again, but it’s guaranteed to make you laugh every now and then.
NOW SHOWING: BAD MOMS
Directed by: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith
Duration: 101 minutes
Rating: PG 18