Four Mothers

In this Ireland-set remake of the 2008 Italian film Mid-August Lunch, director Darren Thornton introduces us to published author Edward (James McArdle) who is back home caring for his elderly mother. He is also facing a professional crossroads as his publishers, in the hopes of helping his book find an American audience, have organised for him to go on a promotional book tour around the US; a rather inconvenient plan as he considers the practicalities of leaving his mother. He has companionship with three friends who all share the parallel experience of caring for their ageing mothers. Frustrated in their own caregiver roles, these friends proceed to unceremoniously dump their mothers on Edward and promptly jet off on holiday.

What follows is a chaotic but sweet and frequently amusing tale as Edward deals with the demands and needs of four very different women, balancing caring for the women alongside participating in increasingly disastrous pre-tour interviews about his book. The audience can sense his panicked air of disbelief at his current predicament, and McArdle wonderfully sells this. When the script asks it of him, McArdle also showcases the authentic emotional depth of Edward, an empath who acutely feels the emotions of those around him, sometimes to the detriment of his own well-being.

Fionnula Flanagan portrays Edward’s mother Alma, who is unable to talk as a result of suffering a recent stroke. Despite not vocally uttering a word, Flanagan convincingly shows that Alma is still very much a matriarch, capable of bending Edward to her will with a stern look. Rounding off the other mothers is the wary and combative Jean, the kind and devout Maude and the talkative and free-spirited Rosey; all of whom commit to their respective archetypes. In fact, some of the best moments of the film are the interactions between the four women as they come to a mutual respect and understanding of each other. A particular highlight was a scene in which Jean (Dearbhla Molloy), with her tough exterior, leaves the house in the middle of the night to sing karaoke in a desolate pub; a quietly impactful moment in which we see a woman seeking some autonomy in a life that has become dictated by others. If only the narrative had focused more on the eponymous four mothers, perhaps providing insight into each of their experiences with loss, grief and the realities of ageing, the film could have resulted in something much more powerful. Nonetheless, Four Mothers is an enjoyable addition to Irish cinema.

Sunny Morgan

Four Mothers does not have a release date yet.

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