• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

57th Chicago International Film Festival Capsule Review – Mothering Sunday

October 19, 2021 by Robert Kojder

Mothering Sunday, 2021

Directed by Eva Husson.
Starring Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Olivia Colman, Colin Firth, Glenda Jackson, Sope Dirisu, Nathan Reeve, Samuel Barlow, Dexter Raggatt, Patsy Ferran, Charlie Oscar, Emma D’Arcy, Simon Shepherd, Caroline Harker, Craig Crosbie, Emily Woof, Alex Cubb, Forrest Bothwell, and Albert Welling.

SYNOPSIS:

A maid living in post-World War I England secretly plans to meet with the man she loves before he leaves to marry another woman.

In the middle of performing her maidly duties for the Niven household, Jane (an evocative Odessa Young, bursting with dynamic body language) answers a phone call. On the other end is Paul (Josh O’Connor, also expressive and captivating), although Jane refers to him in code as a madam with the wrong number. In Mothering Sunday, they are intensely in love and having a secret affair. Yet, such surface-level fiery romance never elicits an investment considering director Eva Husson (collaborating with screenwriter Alice Birch, adapting the novel by Graham Swift) only seems to be concerned with place and time (the grieving between World Wars) rather than character exploration or giving the relationship a hint of depth beyond the lust of the forbidden couple’s opportunistic seizing of the titular holiday for their first instance of privacy.

To be fair, there are also stories within stories. Glimpses of an elderly Jane (Glenda Jackson) reveal the cushy life of a successful author, whereas other flashforwards (still relatively young) depict Jane in a different relationship, this time with philosopher Donald (Sope Dirisu), at an earlier stage of her novelist ambitions.

It’s almost unbelievable that a film centered on infidelity, burning love, relentless displays of intimacy (Odessa Young probably has more scenes naked than she does clothed, and should be applauded for having the courage to perform some of the basic tasks she does on screen here while bearing all) is incapable of working up a plot worth caring about.

However, if you still want to see something unabashedly steamy and horny without much of an engaging plot, tickets can be purchased here.

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com

 

Filed Under: Festivals, Movies, Reviews, Robert Kojder Tagged With: Albert Welling, Alex Cubb, Caroline Harker, Charlie Oscar, Chicago International Film Festival, Colin Firth, Craig Crosbie, Dexter Raggatt, Emily Woof, emma d'arcy, Eva Husson, Forrest Bothwell, Glenda Jackson, Josh Oconnor, mothering sunday, Nathan Reeve, Odessa Young, olivia colman, Patsy Ferran, Samuel Barlow, Simon Shepherd, Sope Dirisu

About Robert Kojder

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Horror Sequel Highs & Lows

Peeping Tom: A Voyeuristic Masterpiece of the Slasher Subgenre

The Essential New French Extremity Movies

The Essential Films of John Woo

What If? Five Marvel Movies That Were Almost Made

The Essential Action Movies of the 1980s

Great Korean Animated Movies You Need To See

Great Vampire Movies You May Have Missed

Underrated Modern Horror Gems That Deserve More Love

10 Essential Vampire Movies To Sink Your Teeth Into

Top Stories:

Movie Review – The Shrouds (2025)

Comic Book Preview – Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals

Back to the Future at 40: The Story Behind the Pop Culture Touchstone

8 Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

Movie Review – Hot Milk (2025)

Movie Review – Heads of State (2025)

Movie Review – The Old Guard 2 (2025)

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey gets a first teaser poster

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

10 Essential Home Invasion Horror Movies

Are we about to see The Rocknaissance?

Robin of Sherwood: Still the quintessential take on the Robin Hood legend

Movies That Actually Really Need A Remake!

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket