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'night, Mother

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Night Mother is a movie that todays main stream movie goer is not likely to sit still for. It is a brutally honest depiction of a woman who feels she has run out of reasons or a purpose to live and has made the decision to end her life. Portrayed by Sissy Spacek who plays Jessie her performance is truly heart rendering but also courageous. Jessie lives with her mother portrayed by Anne Bancroft who also delivers a powerhouse performance as a mother who is desparately trying to understand how her adult child could have arrived at such a decision and how she might help her to change her mind. Jessie has put much thought into her decision and all the lose ends she feels she needs to tend to before departing this life. The film begins on the evening that Jessie has chosen as her last. The evening unfolds as Jessie informs her mother of her deision and what is going to be required of her mother once she is gone. As the night winds down we the audience are allowed into Jessie's world and the events and her loss of dreams that has led her to this dark place. Suicide is one of our cultures last unspeakable taboo's. No matter what one's personal feelings or convictions are regarding suicide. This is a brutally honest and compelling glimpse into the life of someone who feels she no longer has any quality of life and who feels that she no longer has any direction over her life except for this final act. While many viewers will state they cannot imagine ever being in this situation they should heed caution because this could be any one of us if fate should deal an unkind hand. In it's own unique way "Night Mother" is actually life affirming.

It's a shame that "'Night, Mother" (1986) isn't currently available on DVD in a U.S.-friendly format. Adapted by Marsha Norman from her own Pulitzer Prize-winning stage drama, the film stars Anne Bancroft as Thelma Cates and Sissy Spacek as her daughter Jessie, who basically has to run her mother's life. About ten minutes in, Jessie matter-of-factly reveals that this will change, because she's decided to shoot herself on this particular night. She does not immediately disclose why. The remainder of the film consists of Jessie calmly explaining to Thelma how to manage her own affairs, while Thelma goes through a rainbow of emotions trying to come to terms with her daughter's decision.

Norman and director Tom Moore have done little to open up this story from its stage origins. The camera never really leaves the house, and except from a distance or over a phone, we never hear or see anyone else besides these two characters. The filmic claustrophobia might have been intentional, however, as a visual punctuation of Jessie's cramped existence, and at any rate it's a small gripe when balanced against the tour-de-force acting that we get to witness. It would be difficult to overrate Spacek, who has now spent 40 years giving one amazing performance after another, while Bancroft was always a bit underrated, too often labeled as simply a gifted comedienne. She was much more, and this film offers abundant proof. As we watch her navigate a tidal wave of emotional highs and lows, swinging from anger to frustration to hope to reproof in an effort to change Jessie's mind, her talent is such that we feel ourselves riding the wave right along with her. Spacek, meanwhile, deftly balances her mother's expected hysteria and maintains her resolve, while slowly but surely opening up small doors that reveal her motivations to end her own life. When the moment of truth finally arrives, it is shattering even while expected.

Long overdue for an American release. If it comes on cable, don't miss it.

Trivia Side Note: When the play originally ran on Broadway in 1983, Kathy Bates played the part of Jessie and received a Tony nomination. It would be fascinating to see her now play the part of Thelma. She's tailor-made for it.

Orinally a Pulitzer Prize winning play written by Marsha Norman, this film was produced by Aaron Spelling in 1986. Anne Bancroft (God Rest her Soul) was a fabulous actress. She brings an element of talent to every film she has been in, completely transforming the film from good to WOW. Add Sissy Spacek to the mix and you have (in my opinion)one of the greatest films to come out of the 80s era of great film. This movie takes place in a small house in the country. The dialogue had to be good to pull this off and these two actresses did a great job. This movie is about Jessie a troubled woman, who decides that she does not want to endure life anymore. She prepares for her suicide and discusses it with her mother while catching up on household chores, drinking hot coco and sitting at the breakfast table. Listen to what she says, her words are so profound, so moving and saddly real. I watch this movie over and over, understanding Jessie and feeling so very sorry for her mother. Great movie, its all about the dialogue, listen and you will love this film.

When I first saw this movie, it was on VHS. I missed it at the theatres. This is truly a showcase of the depth of skill of two outstanding actresses. This movie could have gotten maudlin and overly dramatic. But the director really knew this script and characters and kept Sissy and Anne within the boundaries of stable characterizations. It explores humankind in a way that makes our skin crawl. It goes to the very life of suicide and how it is a viable option. This movie is haunting and everytime I think of it, I see in my mind's eye Sissy Spacek looking back at Anne Bancroft saying, "'night, Mother" and I receive a chill time and time again. Definitely not a date movie. Most assuredly not a movie to watch to lift your spirits. But if you are in a pensive mood, a solemn mood and want to watch a movie that makes you think and process life, this is the one. If you are anything like me, you will be moved to tears and left with an empty feeling for a while. But taking that trip and feeling those feelings will make you so very glad you are alive and have the tenacity to take the punches and survive. Quite an incredible little film with such a lot to say.

I always seem to love these sad powerful dramas!

Sissy Spacek is amazing in her role!!

This is not your typical drama because the main cast is only two people through most of the film.

We never really see anything beyond the home of Thelma and Jessie Cates.

Jessie one night calmly tells her mother Thelma that she will end her life by suicide.

As the film progresses we find out Jessies reasons and her final wishes as she herself explains to her mother.

A very deep and powerful drama!

A very dark subject with outstanding performances by Spacek and Bancroft at their best. As I recall seing this film in the theater, I remembered how painful it was to get through...and it was so overlooked at the time; maybe the public was not ready to embrace such a depressing story at the time. The entire film IS the interaction between the two actresses, both of whom deserved Oscar nominations in my opinion. Thanks to Amazon for finally providing a good clear copy of this on DVD.

Spacek and Bancroft and engaging in this look into the life a a woman that has decided that she cannot go on any further. So much in her life has gone wrong and she has decided to end it all. She tells her mother that she is going to commit suicide and end it all. Spend her last evening with her and her mom and find out how and why she has come to this conclusion. Spacek and Bancroft has had my attention with this movie for many years. I had searched for it on DVD. I even called the DVD release company and they said that hey had no plans to put it on DVD over 5 years ago. I have Blockbuster On Line and just happend to run across it while searching movies. It is not for sale through Blockbuster and so I turned back to Amazon again to see if they had it on DVD since it has been released on DVD. Much to my happiness I found that they do and it will be the best 11.00 you have ever spent on a movie. I am ecstatic over this. I have it on VHS and kept my VHS player just so that I could watch it again and again. YOU MUST SEE THIS HEART TUGGING MOVIE!

This is basically a filmed play, character-study type film, and it primarily focuses on two characters...a mother and a daughter, as played by Anne Bancroft and Sissy Spacek, respectfully. Note, I'm not here to give a review of this film, I am here to praise the spectacular acting and to highly suggest watching it to anyone that wants to experience superior acting. Sissy Spacek (in brown eye contacts that make her look impossibly sad) should have taken home her second Best Actress Oscar for this performance. That isn't just a statement, it's a fact. This is, without a doubt, one of the finest performances ever caught on film. I have now seen this film 3 times, and her flawless performance only gets better every time. Anne Bancroft is also amazing, and thankfully, offers a tiny bit of comic relief in this grim and devastating film. Both actresses had a ton of dialog to remember, and they both handled it with expertise, as evidenced in one 'long take' after another.

Like I stated, this story is unrelentingly grim, but it's one that will raise a lot of questions and discussions with its viewers. To me, that's always a good thing.

But first and foremost, I highly recommend this film to all to witness 'acting' at its absolute finest. It simply can not get any better than this. I have never known of Sissy Spacek giving a weak performance, and she's certainly been outstanding in the many films of hers that I have seen. But I can easily say that I consider -'night, Mother- as the jewel in her crown.

Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft carry the full weight of this movie squarely on their shoulders, as they are the only actors on the screen. Sissy is an adult who suffers from epilepsy as well as deep-seated feelings of failure and hopelessness. She sees no other alternative to escape her life but suicide. The movie is about her last couple of hours of life, during which she attempts to explain to her mother what she is about to do and why.

Anne Bancroft plays a "simple country woman" who is at a loss to understand how her daughter could want to end her life. She makes several attempts to convince her daughter to remain among the living, but only gets to "I love you" in the final moments.

The raw emotion that pours out of the daughter in those final moments is riveting. The whole movie is a masterpiece showing how close we may appear to be in physical proximity, yet how far apart we truly may be in personal relationship. A wake-up call to those paying attention that we need to take the time to really talk to one another, to get to know one another, so that we may be able to truly be there for each other.

This is a double thumbs-up movie for teens to adult.

If you're looking to try to understand suicide this movie may help. It's a very moving story with two marvelous actresses to play the roles. Suicide is a sensitive topic so I don't want to make alot of comments. But this movie does shed some light on the age old question of "why".