Release Date: November 1, 2016
Rating: R
Running Time: 202 Minutes
In this hilarious and heartfelt comedy from the writing duo behind The Hangover, Amy (Mila Kunis) has a seemingly perfect life – a great marriage, over-achieving kids, beautiful home and a career. However, she’s over-worked, over-committed and exhausted to the point that she’s about to snap. Fed up, she joins forces with two other over-stressed moms (Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn) on a quest to liberate themselves from conventional responsibilities – going on a wild, un-mom-like binge of long overdue freedom, fun and self-indulgence – putting them on a collision course with PTA Queen Bee Gwendolyn (Christina Applegate) and her clique of devoted perfect moms (Jada Pinkett Smith and Annie Mumolo).
Written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (The Hangover, Four Christmases) and produced by Suzanne Todd, (Alice Through The Looking Glass) and Bill Block (Dirty Grandpa), the comedy also features Jada Pinkett Smith (The Women), Christina Applegate (Anchorman 1 &2), Annie Mumolo (The Boss) and Jay Hernandez (Suicide Squad).
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Bad Moms was everything that I hoped it would be and more. In Bad Moms, we follow Amy (Mila Kunis) through her day to day life as a working mom. She works part time and is doing great as a mom of two but her role as wife is shaken when she catches her husband having a session with an online sex worker. When she kicks him out, Amy finds herself taking on all of the household and parenting loads (as opposed to most) and finds that her once balanced life has been turned upside down. That’s when she surrenders to, well, reality. Only she goes from one extreme to the next and goes from good mom to bad mom – and with a handful of new mom friends by her side, played by Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn. Boy, do they have fun.
Mila and her new mom friends find trouble when they’re faced with the PTA moms, played by Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Annie Mumolo. There’s an archetype of mom that each of these actresses plays and it’s pretty glorious. Under different circumstances, this would be too tropey but the whole movie is a based on the trope of what a good mom is so it only makes sense to show the different variations of the good moms that there are. Anyway, the enemy line created here is all stemmed from the idea of being the perfect mom, what that means for these moms as individuals, and what those differences translate to when burned out moms put up walls around them instead of reaching out to be lifted up and when they do reach out. There’s so much more here but I don’t want to tell you everything that happens in the movie. Just know that the storytelling here between the mom groups is great because by the end, there aren’t groups. They’re just moms on level ground.
From dealing with irrational children’s outbursts (that are totally rational from their point of view) and bonding with your kids in ways that are special to them to being late to pick up the kids and stepping in when maybe you should and everything in between, this movie is a love letter to motherhood. It’s about doing the best that you can, none of it feeling like you’re making a dent in the day, and accepting that you gave your all and that all will have to do until the next day begins. It’s about embracing different parenting dynamics, having empathy with the moms that we do and do not interact with, and so, so much more. It’s about leaving the facade behind and embracing what it means to be the best mom that you can be, which also means taking time for you. It’s about sticking it to the mom culture and expectations of society and making sure to take care of yourself so that you can bring your best in your everyday. Whether that means giving yourself a spa day, quitting the PTA, giving your child more space, taking in more time with your child, etc… what works for one parent, one mom, may not work for you as a parent, as a mom and that’s okay. That’s the beauty of motherhood and Bad Moms captures that wonderfully. Definitely a must see for all of the moms out there.
Deleted Scenes (Approx. 16:40 minutes) – There are approximately 18 deleted scenes on the special features, divided into the segments “Perfect Moms,” “Bad Dad,” “Bad Therapist,” “Bad Principal,” and “Bad Moms.” Most all of the scene come with an array of alternate cuts of the scenes because with all of this comedic talent, there’s plenty of room for improv and those jokes need to be seen ,even if they’re not in the final cut. Fellow Lily Singh will be satisfied with the alternate cut of her scene that made it in this feature! Overall, if you enjoyed the movie, you’ll love the deleted scenes. Worth all 16 minutes.
Cast & Moms Interviews (Approx. 24 minutes total) – In this feature, the Bad Moms cast members, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Annie Mumolo and their moms conduct joint interviews. There is the option to play all or watch individually i.e. Mila & Elvira, Kristen & Lorelei, Christina & Nancy, Kathryn & Karen, Jada & Alice, and Annie & Alice. For the most genuine and one of the most heartwarming special features you will ever see, watch this special feature. You’re heart will tug as Mila & Elvira discuss their move from Russia to America. You will melt at seeing Kristen & Lorelei holding hands throughout their interview. Your drop will drop as you see just how much Kathryn is the spitting image of her mother and the same can be said for Jada & Alice. And finally, many viewers may be able to relate to Annie’s growing up with one parent rooting her dream on and another being more practical. All in all, this is such a fantastic and heartfelt feature, and it is truly one of my absolute favorite features ever on a Blu-ray/DVD.
Own Bad Moms on Blu-ray and DVD today.