Foreign Film Review: All About My Mother

Few things are more powerful or influential than a relationship between a mother and a child.

A good relationship can be tremendously rewarding and a bad one can leave both of you limping through life. Why is the bond so powerful? Your mother is your first encounter with life, with nourishment, and with survival. All foods, emotions, drinks, and medications a pregnant woman has during pregnancy become the body and mind of the baby. In the womb, everything a mother does directly influences the child she is creating.

No wonder a mother's child grows up to scrutinize and evaluate every single move she makes. The child is still thinking that what his or her mother does directly influences their life intensely.

Literature and film abound with explorations of just who a mother is. A mother is always an enigma. The 1999 Spanish film "All About My Mother" starring Cecilia Roth and Penelope Cruz explores the intrigue of who a mother really is in a very creative way.

The acting is excellent, the story curious, and the characters lovable. There seem to be no true villains in this film even though there are plenty of people causing others pain. But the pain they cause each other seems to be explained; thereby softening the blows.

This film explores the complicated reality of some modern families much like the films Transamerica (2005) and Object of My Affection (1998). The relationships may seem an exaggeration for many but often it is easier to explore truth through exaggeration.

About the author: Allison Frederick is a writer and online marketing educator for other creative women. www.FaMissWomen.com offers free Web 2.0 resources. She is also the author of an upcoming novel, A Portrait of Josephine, an academic-lite thriller. Find out how to receive a free copy of the novel by visiting www.portraitofjosephine.com