The Universal Pictures Home Entertainment August 2, 2016 DVD and Blu-ray releases of the Atlanta-based 2016 comedy "Mother's Day" is notable both for reminding American audiences of the appeal of Jennifer Aniston and for being the last project of the true television and film god Garry Marshall. This release coming nine days before the second anniversary of the death of Marshall discovery Robin Williams greatly contributes to the significance of this release.
This follow-up to the Marshall "holiday" films "Valentine's Day" and"New Year's Eve" follows the pattern of those movies of having a large cast of household names play characters who experience varying levels of stress and related mayhem in the period leading up to the titular holiday. Like those other films, "Mother's" ends with celebrations of the event around which it centers.
The following YouTube clip of the "Mother's" trailer fairly comprehensively lays out the plot and introduces the principal players.
The theme of "Mother's" makes it even more of a family-oriented comedy than the other Marshall "holiday" films. There are sassy wholesome kids from infancy to teens, outrageous adults, and a plethora of wonderfully juvenile physical humor. An inflatable slide deflating around a father acting like a fool is a prime example of the last two elements.
Aniston plays divorced mom of two boys Sandy, whose ex-husband Henry (whom Timothy Olyphant plays with his wonderfully self-absorbed comic style) is the new husband of trophy 20-something wife Tina (Shay Mitchell.)
The neuroses of Sandy related to "Step Mom" causes her to act out in embarrassing manners in the presence of both recently widowed gym-owner Bradley. Jason Sudeikis shines in this role, which has him dealing with being the single father of two girls whose growing pains scream out for motherly advice. Bradley witnessing Sandy melt down in her car starts this trend regarding their chance meetings.
Sandy further provides the catalyst for bringing Marshall darling Julia Roberts' Miranda Collins into the action. Collins is a jewelry designer whose business selling jewelry on a home shopping network leads to her interviewing Sandy for an interior decorating job. Collins also becomes embroiled in some drama of her own that is slightly further out in the orbit of Sandy. Marshall veteran Hector Elizondo plays the agent/confidante of Collins.
Other stories revolve around Jesse (Kate Hudson) having to deal with her racist mother (Margo Martindale) learning that Jesse married an Indian man, Bartender/aspiring comedian Zack trying to get his Baby Momma to marry him, etc.
The Blu-ray (and presumably DVD) extras consist of a gag reel that supplements the hilarious outtakes during the closing credits and a series of deleted scenes.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Mother's" is encouraged to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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