Mothering Sunday (film)

Mothering Sunday is a 2021 British romantic drama film directed by Eva Husson, from a screenplay by Alice Birch, based on the novel of the same name by Graham Swift. The film stars Odessa Young, Josh O'Connor, Olivia Colman and Colin Firth. The film also marks the first appearance of Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson in a theatrical release in over 30 years, having last appeared in King of the Wind (1990), as well as the penultimate film role of her lifetime.

Mothering Sunday
Film poster
Directed byEva Husson
Screenplay byAlice Birch
Based onMothering Sunday
by Graham Swift
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJamie Ramsay
Edited byEmilie Orsini
Music byMorgan Kibby
Production
companies
Distributed byLionsgate
Release dates
  • 9 July 2021 (2021-07-09) (Cannes)
  • 12 November 2021 (2021-11-12) (United Kingdom)
Running time
110 minutes[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2.1 million[2]

Set in the wake of World War I, the film follows the life of Jane Fairchild (Young), an orphaned maidservant who spends Mothering Sunday with her wealthy lover.

Mothering Sunday had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on 9 July 2021.

Plot

Jane Fairchild is a maidservant who, between the wars, works for the wealthy Niven family. On Mothering Sunday Jane is given the day off to spend as she likes. To her surprise Paul Sheringham, the son of wealthy neighbours, invites her to spend the day with him while his parents, with the Nivens, and the Hobdays have lunch together.

Paul and Jane have been having a secret sexual affair for years, since Jane's arrival at the Nivens’s estate; however, Paul is due to marry Emma Hobday, a woman in his social circle who was once unofficially engaged to Paul's friend James Niven, who died in the Great War. Both Paul and Emma have mixed feelings about their engagement but feel compelled to marry nevertheless.

At the Sheringham estate, Jane and Paul have sex before Paul leaves late to join his family and fiancée for lunch. He leaves Jane alone at his estate and she wanders naked through the house examining how he lives, before leaving.

In a time-shift, in her life Jane becomes a writer and marries Donald, a philosopher whom she meets while working at a book shop. He asks her how she became a writer and she lists her birth and the gift of a typewriter as two initiating incidents, keeping the third to herself.

The third incident occurred on Mothering Sunday after Jane returned home. She meets Godfrey Niven, who tells her that Paul has died in a car crash. He asks Jane to accompany him to Paul's home, where Mr. Niven suspects there might have been a suicide note. The maid there has returned early and has cleaned up all traces of Paul and Jane's tryst. There was no note.

Later in their marriage Jane and Donald learn that Donald has inoperable brain tumour and is dying. He tells her that his death will perhaps fuel her to write her best work and laments that he will be unable to read it. Before he dies Donald begs Jane to tell him about the third incident but she instead tells him she loves him.

Years later when she is an old woman Jane is approached by members of the press after she wins a prestigious literary award. She is unimpressed as she has already won all the available literary prizes.

Cast

Production

In June 2020, it was announced Odessa Young, Josh O'Connor, Olivia Colman and Colin Firth had joined the cast of the film, with Eva Husson directing from a screenplay by Alice Birch.[3] In September 2020, Sope Dirisu joined the cast of the film, with Lionsgate set to distribute in the United Kingdom.[4]

Principal photography began in September 2020.[5] In May 2021, it was reported that Glenda Jackson would appear in the film.[6]

Release

In September 2020, Sony Pictures Classics acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film.[7]

Mothering Sunday had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on 9 July 2021.[8] It will have its US premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival.[9] It was scheduled to be released in the United States on 19 November 2021, but that date was changed and it opened on March 25, 2022.[10]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 77% based on 133 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's consensus reads, "Mothering Sunday works at a frustratingly chilly remove, but involving performances and solid overall craft mean it's rarely less than engaging."[11] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[12]

At the 2021 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, it won the award for Outstanding Female-Led Feature.[13]

References

  1. "Mothering Sunday". Cannes Film Festival. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. "Mothering Sunday (2021)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  3. Wiseman, Andreas (25 June 2020). "'Mothering Sunday': Odessa Young, Josh O'Connor, Olivia Colman & Colin Firth Set For Drama From 'Carol' Producers & 'Succession' Scribe — Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  4. Wiseman, Andreas (22 September 2020). "'Mothering Sunday': Lionsgate UK & 'Gangs Of London' Star Sope Dirisu Join Odessa Young, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth & Olivia Colman In Number 9 Films Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  5. MacNab, Geoffrey (18 September 2020). "Cameras roll on 'Mothering Sunday' as UK industry welcomes "single biggest indemnity fund in the world"". Screen International. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  6. Ritman, Alex (26 May 2021). "Glenda Jackson Honored With BIFA's Richard Harris Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  7. D'Alessandro, Anthony (23 September 2020). "Sony Pictures Classics Acquires 'Mothering Sunday' Starring Colin Firth, Olivia Colman & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  8. "The films of the Official Selection 2021". Cannes Film Festival. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  9. Rubin, Rebecca (1 September 2021). "'Mothering Sunday' Sets U.S. Premiere at Hamptons International Film Festival". Variety.
  10. D’Alessandro, Anthony (6 August 2021). "'Mothering Sunday': Sony Pictures Classics Sets Late Fall Debut For British Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  11. "Mothering Sunday". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  12. "Mothering Sunday Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  13. Donald Macdonald, "Sudbury entertainment briefs: New novel; Cinefest awards". Sudbury Star, 12 November 2021.
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