Written and directed by Tin Pang, having suffered a recent stroke, a mother and her adult son are reacquainted and forced to live together. As they face the physical and psychological challenges head on, they’re placed on an emotional collision course. Starring: Gabrielle Chan and Lawrence Leung.
The emotions explored in Mother, Child are classic family frustrations, moving through stubbornness, vulnerability and a resistance to asking for help. As much as you may love someone and are willing to help with whatever they need, when they refuse to also try to help themselves, patience can wear thin. It’s highly relatable and it strikes the right balance between love and reason. The tone of the film is subtly moving, it has an everyday feel but a strong emotional current running through it.
As the story moves, contained within this one, small set, it has a theatrical or stage feel to it. There’s a heightened performative edge to it, matched with an intimacy that’s reminiscent of a play. The camera movements are simple, letting the focus stay with the dialogue. It then adds a great tension to the atmosphere, the growing conflict between Lee (Gabrielle Chan) and Alex (Lawrence Leung) makes for a strong presence.
Lawrence Leung’s performance is extremely sympathetic, you can easily relate to his position of wanting to care for his mother but only being able to do so much. As well as touching upon the need to balance family with his personal life, giving himself the space to take time away from home for his mental health and happiness. Leung does a great job of showing that need balanced with the love Alex has for his mother, the kindness and generosity still shine through his frustrations.
Gabrielle Chan’s portrayal is a classic example of stubbornness in the elder generation, wanting things done in a particular way, not liking change and often being reluctant to listen to the advice of doctors. She’s also driven by a different type of frustration, one that comes from being sabotaged and let down by her own mind and body. It makes her willingness to listen and make effort often short-lived, through no fault of her own. Although her most emotional moments don’t always feel that organic, there’s a slightly forced edge to them and it feels as though they needed to be scaled back a bit to keep things feeling natural.
Mother, Child is a touching and relatable exploration of caring for a family member and all the frustrations it involves. There’s a refined style to the direction, almost feeling like it would be perfect for the stage as well as the screen. It keeps the story grounded but has plenty of emotion at work.
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