Mother and Child

Mother and Child

Year: 2010

Runtime: 125 min

Language: English

Director: Rodrigo García

Budget: $7M

Drama

The lives of three women intertwine, exploring the emotional complexities of motherhood and adoption. Karen grapples with the memory of a daughter she placed for adoption years ago. Meanwhile, Elizabeth, a successful lawyer, seeks deeper connections despite a reserved nature. Lucy and her husband embark on their own adoption journey, hoping to realize their dream of becoming parents, and their paths unexpectedly converge.

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Timeline & Setting – Mother and Child (2010)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Mother and Child (2010). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

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Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:27

Main Characters – Mother and Child (2010)

Meet the key characters of Mother and Child (2010), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Karen (Annette Bening)

Karen carries a lifelong shadow from giving up her child at fourteen, which makes her guarded and wary of forming new bonds. Her anxiety and mistrust surface in new relationships, including her initial hostility toward Paco, until love gradually calms her. She longs for connection but remains self-protective, balancing vulnerability with caution.

🎭 Complex 😨 Anxious 👥 Guarded

Elizabeth (Naomi Watts)

Elizabeth is solitary and willful, a driven attorney whose career defines her. She becomes pregnant despite having her tubes tied and pursues independence by quitting and moving to a new life without informing Paul. Her choices illuminate the costs of detachment and ambition, culminating in her death during childbirth.

💼 Ambitious 🧭 Independent 💔 Impulsive

Lucy (Kerry Washington)

Lucy is a baker who longs to be a mother and pursues adoption with patience and determination. She navigates the emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy, loss of the birth mother, and eventual responsibility as she embraces motherhood. Her resilience anchors the story as she learns to balance care, expectation, and love.

🧁 Baker 👩‍👧‍👦 Maternal 💪 Determined

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:27

Major Themes – Mother and Child (2010)

Explore the central themes of Mother and Child (2010), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🏠 Family

Through adoption, the film examines how family is formed as much by choice as by biology. Karen, Elizabeth, and Lucy each carry a longing to belong, shaping how they trust and connect with others. The narrative links generations through letters, pregnancies, and guardianship, revealing how past decisions ripple into present relationships. Family is redefined by acts of care and commitment rather than birth.

🔑 Secrets

Elizabeth's hidden pregnancy and the absence of her mother create a thread of secrecy that challenges trust. Letters left in an agency become fragile connections that never fully resolve until late. The film treats secrets as both protection and erosion, influencing choices and relationships. Reunion, forgiveness, and new understandings emerge when truth surfaces.

👶 Motherhood

Lucy yearns to become a mother, and the adoption journey tests her resilience and emotional stamina. The film contrasts different paths to motherhood—pursuit, sacrifice, and acceptance—through three intertwined stories. The challenges of care, patience, and vulnerability are central as Lucy grows into her new role. The story shows that motherhood is built through sustained effort and support from loved ones.

🤝 Reunion

A delayed revelation of Ella creates a turning point where Karen and Ella confront their shared history. The meeting shifts identities, providing a chance to repair past wounds and redefine what family means. Reconnection opens space for forgiveness, growth, and new bonds. The film suggests that belonging can be rediscovered even after years apart.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:27

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Mother and Child Summary

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Mother and Child Summary

Mother and Child Timeline

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Mother and Child Timeline

More About Mother and Child

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