Four Mothers

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Four Mothers

2024

1h 29m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

92%

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24 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Edward, a novelist saddled with caring for his elderly mother, finally finds himself on the brink of literary success. With pressure to go on a US book tour mounting, the last thing Edward needs is his friends jetting off to Spain for an impromptu Pride holiday, leaving their mothers on his doorstep! Over a chaotic weekend, he has to juggle his burgeoning career with the care of four eccentric, combative, and wildly different ladies.

Critics Consensus

Buoyed by thoughtful performances and easygoing tenderness, Four Mothers stands as droll, crowd-pleasing portrait of queer identity, aging, and family ties.

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Guy Lodge

Observer (UK)

Oct 7

Four Mothers is droll and gentle, but in its own way markedly progressive: films about queer adults still negotiating their identities with their elderly parents are unusual, with or without this one’s delicacy and wit.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

04/07/2025

What could have been a sentimental plodder gets a pleasingly acerbic tang from the bracing cattiness of the dialogue.

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Mike McCahill

Little White Lies

04/03/2025

3/5

In places, Four Mothers skews broad: one joke involving the word “pouffe” is eminently guessable. Yet it’s modulated by the sweetness in these performances, and by McArdle in particular, soft, rueful and armed with the most thoughtful writing here.

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Emma Badame

That Shelf

09/01/2025

The comedy covers everything from aging to loneliness to Pride to caregiving to trauma and family relationships, and does it all without tipping into full-blown schmaltz or resorting to emotional manipulation.

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Scott Phillips

Forbes

06/22/2025

When the credits rolled, I wanted to spend more time with these characters, and that’s about the highest compliment I can give.

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Matt Oakes

Silver Screen Riot

05/27/2025

B-

Its somewhat formulaic optimism may not linger and the jokes about getting older all seem overly familiar, but the film’s heart is in the right place and makes for a geriatric crowd-pleaser.

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Wayne M

@Wayne93 Jul 22

Four Mothers is a small and sweet film. It's tender and touching and funny. The film, set in Dublin, centres on gay writer Edward. Edward is wracked with self doubt, but his books do very well. He has to look after his elderly mother in Alma, who recently suffered a stroke. It makes for frustrating and sometimes comic moments between the pair. When his friends leave for a snap holiday, both of their mothers are left abuptly with Edward. Soon another mother is dumped on Edward and he has to care for all four whilst trying to juggle a career. A key of which is an upcoming US book tour. The situation makes for both funny and tender moments as all five adults learn about each other. This is a very sweet film that makes for an easy watch. James McArdle is excellent as the frustrated Edward in a simple but very thoughtful film.

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roxanne V

@Roxinator Dec 24

I genuinely think this film should have subtitles as I suspect I missed a lot of the dialogue. The execution of the script was mumbled most of the time and the interaction of the characters awkward and not well directed. It also ended abruptly just as it was about to get good and the infuriating act of the friends dumping their mothers on the main protagonist was not resolved. It’s not enough that the modern day theme of gay sons being carers for their mums in and of itself. The whole film could have been much more successful with an editing overhaul à la my fabulous Greek wedding. Feels like the director and editor lost their objectivity by being too self congratulatory about the subject matter along the way.

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Vivien B

@RT19509475 Dec 14

It just missed the mark. I found a lack of character development and at times caricatures made it hard to relate. I thought it had so much potential but for me it just didn't work.

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Jack S

@RT35977514 Nov 20

This film is heartbreaking and funny in equal measure

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Peter S

@RT90896791 08/27/2025

Lovely film with terrific performances that deserves a wide audience.

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Darren Thornton

Director

Tom Comerford

Director

Gretta Ohle

Director

Gary Dollner

Director

Gordon Hickey

Billy

Dearbhla Molloy

Jean

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Synopsis

Edward, a novelist saddled with caring for his elderly mother, finally finds himself on the brink of literary success. With pressure to go on a US book tour mounting, the last thing Edward needs is his friends jetting off to Spain for an impromptu Pride holiday, leaving their mothers on his doorstep! Over a chaotic weekend, he has to juggle his burgeoning career with the care of four eccentric, combative, and wildly different ladies.

Director: Darren Thornton, Tom Comerford, Gretta Ohle, Gary Dollner
Producer: Eric Abraham, Martina Niland, Jack Sidey
Screenwriter: Darren Thornton, Colin Thornton, Colin Thornton, Darren Thornton
Production Co: Port Pictures, Portobello Films & Television
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 29m

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