Photo: Crown Media Inc./Bettina Strauss
The adage, “Distance makes the heart grow fonder” is true in the case of Mom’s Day Away, as a woman’s family learns they take their mother and wife for granted.
Stay-at-home mom Laura (Bonnie Somerville) has reached the end of her rope when she realizes how under-appreciated she is in her own house. Her husband (James Tupper) spends more time on his cell phone conducting business than talking to her while her two children (Iain Belcher and Kaitlyn Bernard) are wrapped up in their own social lives. When Laura’s best friend Trish (Ona Grauer) comes to town for the weekend, Laura decides leave for the weekend, ahead of Mother’s Day, to rekindle the sense of excitement and adventure she had before settling down.
It’s a cute and endearing story that lacks any real bite from conflict. There are no stakes to worry about, you know Laura is going to come home after the weekend is over and be well-received because her family has come to the realization that they need to treat her better. The cast is good while Somerville and Grauer are a winning combo. The problem is, I didn’t feel like there was much of a problem. While the situation wasn’t ideal, it could have been a lot worse. The kids weren’t hooligans and her husband wasn’t cheating or anything that dramatic. I’m not trying to belittle Laura’s issue but I didn’t see why Tupper’s Michael was so worried that she wouldn’t come back home. It was highly unlikely she wouldn’t return. There is nothing in the story that would make him draw that conclusion.
Somerville is a delight, as always. I enjoyed seeing Laura find herself as she spent a day away from cooking, cleaning, and taking care of everyone. She lost her identity in her family but it looks like she found it quite fast and easily. I enjoyed watching her sing, dance, and have fun. I could have done without the lame music and spa montage that seemed to be filling a gap more than driving the story. I did find it hard to believe that after not working for 15 years, Laura could easily get back into the field of architecture and secure a job at the same firm as her friend without discussion. I also thought the B-storyline with Trish and her boyfriend didn’t hit the marks they meant to hit. It didn’t feel balanced. It made sense but the execution lacked the conviction to make it believable.
Mom’s Day Away is a decent enough to watch with your mom but there are better movies out there with the same theme.
Cast: Bonnie Somerville, James Tupper, Ona Grauer, Iain Belcher, Kaitlyn Bernard
Bottom-line: Put on in the background while folding laundry or doing dishes.
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