Main Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Peter Gallagher, Joanne Whalley, Vanessa Redgrave, Luke Edwards
Release Year: 1994
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A psychotic estranged wife attempts to sabotage her husband's new romance by turning her children against his lover in this thriller. Jude (Jamie Lee Curtis) had abandoned her husband Robert (Peter Gallagher) and their three sons several years earlier. Unfortunately, now that Robert has filed for divorce after falling in love with Callie (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer), the sweet-natured assistant principal at his son's school, Jude is back for revenge. At first she merely tries to convince the children that Callie is an intruder on the rightful family, but the psychotic Jude's actions soon turn dangerous, as she attempts to frame the educator for assault. Things become particularly sticky when she tries to win over her 12-year-old son Kes (Luke Edwards), involving him in a potentially deadly scheme. Director Yves Simoneau borrows from numerous other stalker dramas and attempts to ratchet the action to a feverish pitch in the conclusion, but Jude's behavior remains unbelievable, and most critics found Mother's Boys an unconvincing, often over-the-top psychodrama. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Colin Ward - Michael; Joey Zimmerman - Ben; Joss Ackland - Lansing; J.E. Freeman - Everett; Ken Lerner - Analyst; John C. McGinley - Mr. Fogel; Lorraine Toussaint - Robert's associate; Jeanine Jackson - Market mom; Paul Guilfoyle - Mark Kaplan; Judith Roberts - Narrator
Credit
David James Bomba - Art Director, Daniel Franklin - Associate Producer, Francine Maisler - Casting, Deena Appel - Costume Designer, Simon Tuke - Costume Designer, Steve Danton - First Assistant Director, Bruce Carter - First Assistant Director, Yves Simoneau - Director, Michael Ornstein - Editor, Randall Poster - Executive Producer, Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer, Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer, George S. Clinton - Composer (Music Score), June Rudley Brickman - Makeup, Julie Hewett - Makeup, Elliot Davis - Cinematographer, Jack E. Freedman - Producer, Patricia Herskovic - Producer, Wayne S. Williams - Producer, Barbara Cassel - Set Designer, Clark King - Sound/Sound Designer, Richard Hawley - Screenwriter, Barry Schneider - Screenwriter, David Lowery - Storyboard Artist, Bernard Taylor - Book Author
Jude Madigan (Curtis) has to leave her husband Robert (Gallagher) and her three children without any explanation. Three years later, when all think that she has already died, Jude returns and asks for pardon. But her husband Robert does not forgive but instead wants the divorce. Jude will not accept Robert's decision, and when she is not trying to seduce him, she harasses Robert's new girlfriend, Callie. Eventually, Jude manages to convince her eldest son that Callie is the only person standing in the way of her rejoining the family again. Her three sons plan to play a game with Callie, to scare her off. But Jude's mother overhears them and accidentally falls down the stairs. While in the hospital, she tells Jude she is not about to let her go through with the plan. In a rage, Jude nearly murders her mother. Meanwhile, the boys put handcuffs on Callie and force her to go through a "trial" for destroying their family. They tie her to a chair, but when the youngest boy cuts himself on a glass, she convinces the middle child to free her before the boy dies. She runs with the boy in an attempt to find a hospital. The other boys get in the car and try to follow them, but the brakes go out, and they go over a cliff. Callie manages to rescue the middle son, but as she tries to rescue the eldest, she slips and is forced to dangle from the car. Jude rushes to "help" and attempts to grab Callie's hand. When her son finally gives it to her, she lets go of Callie, who again manages to hang on. However, Jude loses her balance and falls to her death. The film ends with Robert's emotional embrace of his eldest son, who has a nightmare of his mother coming back from the dead.
