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Poster for The Second Mother

The Second Mother

Seen it?

2015 | 112 min | Drama

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (97% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (8.0 out of 10). Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 52 min.
What might put you off
It's in Portuguese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).

After leaving her daughter Jessica in a small town in Pernambuco to be raised by relatives, Val spends the next 13 years working as a nanny to Fabinho in São Paulo. She has financial stability but has to live with the guilt of having not raised Jessica herself. As Fabinho’s university entrance exams approach, Jessica reappears in her life and seems to want to give her mother a second chance. However, Jessica has not been raised to be a servant and her very existence will turn Val’s routine on its head. With precision and humour, the subtle and powerful forces that keep rigid class structures in place and how the youth may just be the ones to shake it all up.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    8.0 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 Berlin award: Berlin International Film Festival: C.I.C.A.E. Award. Also nominated for 1 Critics' Choice Award. Plus 7 other awards.

  • Reach & staying powerSolid

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 10K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Anna Muylaert

  • Regina CaséVal
  • Camila MárdilaJéssica
  • Karine TelesBárbara
  • Lourenço MutarelliCarlos
  • Michel JoelsasFabinho
  • Helena AlbergariaEdna
  • Bete DorgamJanaína
  • Luis MirandaAntônio Jardineiro
  • Theo WerneckVandré
  • Luci PereiraRaimunda