Mother's Boys
| Mother's Boys | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Yves Simoneau |
| Produced by |
Jack E. Freedman Patricia Herskovic Wayne S. Williams |
| Written by |
Bernard Taylor Barry Schneider Richard Hawley |
| Starring | |
| Music by | George S. Clinton |
| Cinematography | Elliot Davis |
| Edited by | Michael D. Ornstein |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $8,000,000 (estimated) |
| Box office | $874,148 (USA) |
Mother's Boys is a 1994 American thriller film starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Peter Gallagher, Joanne Whalley (as Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) and Vanessa Redgrave.
Plot
Jude Madigan (Curtis) suddenly and inexplicably leaves her husband, Robert (Gallagher), and three sons. Three years later, when Robert finally files for divorce, Jude returns and tries to reclaim her former life. Robert refuses and insists on the divorce. Jude does not accept Robert's decision. She tries, unsuccessfully, to seduce him and harasses Robert's new girlfriend, Callie (Whalley). Eventually, Jude manipulates and convinces her eldest son, Kes (Luke Edwards), that Callie is the only person standing in the way of their reunited family.
Influenced by Jude, Kes details a plan to his two brothers, Michael and Ben (Colin Ward and Joey Zimmerman), to scare off Callie, convincing them that it is just a game. As the boys debate the plan, Jude's estranged mother, Lydia (Redgrave) overhears and confronts Kes and threatens to tell their father. Kes tries unsuccessfully to convince his grandmother that it was just a "game" and tries to stop her from calling his dad. A brief struggle ensues and Lydia accidentally falls down the stairs.
While in the hospital, Lydia tells Jude she is not about to let her go through with her plans. In a fit of rage, Jude tries to murder her mother by asphyxiation but is interrupted by a nurse, Jude flees the hospital.
Meanwhile, the boys, under the guise of playing the game, handcuff Callie and put her on "trial" for destroying their family. They tie her to a chair but when Ben cuts himself on a broken glass, Callie convinces Michael to free her before his brother dies. She runs with him in an attempt to find a hospital.
Kes and Michael get in Callie's car and chase them, but the brakes have been cut by Jude and they go over a cliff, leaving them perched precariously on a tree on the side of the cliff. Callie manages to rescue Michael, but as she tries to rescue Kes, she slips and is left dangling from the car. Jude rushes to "help" by grabbing Callie's hand from Kes. Jude intentionally lets go of Callie's hand, who still manages to hang onto the car with her other hand. However, Jude loses her balance and falls to her death.
The film ends with Robert's emotional embrace of Kes, who is very shaken after having a nightmare of Jude coming back from the dead. Callie is right by Robert's side, comforting them both.
Cast
- Jamie Lee Curtis as Judith 'Jude' Madigan
- Peter Gallagher as Robert Madigan
- Joanne Whalley as Colleen 'Callie' Harland (as Joanne Whalley-Kilmer)
- Vanessa Redgrave as Lydia
- Luke Edwards as Kes Madigan
- Colin Ward as Michael Madigan
- Joey Zimmerman as Ben Madigan
- Joss Ackland as Lansing, Jude's Attorney
- Paul Guilfoyle as Mark Kaplan, Robert's Attorney
- J.E. Freeman as Mr. Everett, Principal
- John C. McGinley as Mr. Fogel, Teacher