Stepmom is a 1998 American comedy-drama film directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon.
Plot
New York. Jackie (Susan Sarandon) and Luke (Ed Harris) are a divorced couple struggling to keep their children Anna (Jena Malone) and Ben (Liam Aiken) happy with this sudden change of lifestyle.
This task is far from easy, as Luke for some time has been dating and is living with his new girlfriend Isabel (Julia Roberts) who is a successful photographer and several years his junior. Isabel tries very hard to make Anna and Ben feel comfortable and happy around her but Anna is very disrespectful.
Jackie, blaming Isabel for her failed marriage, also treats her very coldly, largely because Isabel is a career woman, a deep contrast to herself. She also continues to harbor malice against Luke (as can be seen in a confrontation about Isabel). After a long string of arguments and hurt feelings between Isabel, Jackie and Anna, Luke proposes to Isabel, making her Anna and Ben's official stepmom. This causes even more friction.
However, Jackie is diagnosed with cancer. She experiences a range of negative emotions, angry at the woman who she feels played a role in her failed marriage and broken family, and angry at the fact that after all of the sacrifices she made for her family, she will soon lose her life.
Both Jackie and Isabel clash repeatedly, largely over Isabel's parenting. This becomes evident when Isabel allows Ben to go missing and Jackie claims that she has never lost him, which she later admits to be untrue. Yet they manage to call a shaky truce, as Isabel learns that she will soon step into the role of surrogate mother.
The two women finally bond with each other when Isabel reveals her admiration of Jackie's maternal instincts, while Jackie in turn compliments Isabel's hipness as a means to connect with Anna. Isabel finally lets her guard down when she tearfully tells Jackie her biggest fear is that on Anna's wedding day, all Anna will wish for is her mother's presence. Through her own tears, Jackie says her own fear is that Anna will forget her. The movie ends with Isabel taking a family picture of Luke and Jackie with their children. Jackie invites Isabel to get into the shot, which she does, and as the closing credits begin, both women are shown in a photo side by side, finally at peace with one another and future events (Jackie's impending death and Isabel and Luke's marriage).
Cast
Reception
The film grossed $91,137,662 in the US[2] and $159,710,793 worldwide[1] from a budget of $50,000,000.
It earned a 43% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Susan Sarandon nominated for Best Actress (Drama) Golden Globe and won the San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress. Ed Harris won the Best Supporting Actor award from the National Board of Review for his roles in Stepmom and The Truman Show.
References
See also
External links
