Lorelai Gilmore to Mel Jones: 7 Distinct and intriguing characters that redefine the term 'Mother'!
Here's a list of characters from modern movies and TV shows to watch with your mother this Mother's Day!
Modern pop-culture has a range of mother figures to offer. Fitting into all the genres, from romantic comedies to thrillers, here's a list of characters from movies and TV shows that have one thing in common: resilience and guidance.
Let's take a look at 7 kickass mothers onscreen.
1. Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls
Lorelai, played brilliantly by Lauren Graham, is one of the sassiest mothers out there. The show explores the relationship between Lorelai and her daughter Rory, another stellar performance by Alexis Bledel. Moreover, it also showcases the rocky relationship between her and her parents, which mostly is a result of their divergent viewpoints on society and other matters. Something plenty of people can relate to. The show is a hilarious and heart-warming ride through the lives of each member of the family (mainly focusing on Rory and Lorelai) spanning 7 seasons and a mini-revival on Netflix last year.
2. Juno McGuff, Juno
This Hollywood indie flick delivers different angle on motherhood through three of its characters. The witty and tough teenager, Juno, decides against aborting her child when she discovers she is pregnant and chooses the more difficult path for herself by giving it up for adoption instead. Juno is determined the adoptive parents should be well-equipped to raise her child in a flawless and straightforward environment, unlike her own experience. However, as things don't turn out as expected, she learns families don't necessarily have to be textbook-perfect to raise a strong human being, just like herself.
3. Leigh Anne Tuohy, The Blind Side
Based on a true story, this tale is about an African-American teen being adopted by a Caucasian family upon the insistence of Leigh Anne (the mother). It is inspiring and touching in its portrayal of support and the ripple effect that follows. Micheal Oher would possibly not be the successful person he is today if it wasn't for Leigh Anne and the potential she saw in him. Most of us owe a large part of who we are in the present to our mother's constant guidance and love. Also, this movie is worth watching for Sandra Bullock's Academy Award-winning performance alone!
4. Erin Brockovich
Another film based on true events, Erin Brockovich follows the story of a single mother of three as she struggles to fight a case against a company whose factory is releasing pollutants that are fatally harmful to those residing nearby. After undergoing a range of dilemmas including injury and joblessness, she finally succeeds despite not having a formal law education. Julia Roberts' stunning performance brought her an Academy Award as well.
5.Elaine Miller, Almost Famous
Almost Famous is a coming-of-age, semi-autobiographical film directed and written by Cameron Crowe with an all-star cast. Although the 15-year old protagonist William Miller's mother is not at the very centre of the plot, she plays an extremely important role in the movie. She is very independent and tough and tries to raise her children on her own terms in a rather strict atmosphere. At first, she does not approve of the things her children are passionate about because of her intellect and views on society and its lifestyle. She wishes William will become a lawyer, but as the movie progresses, she realises being a rock journalist is actually his dream and something he has immense talent for, so she remains supportive of him through it all. In addition, the soundtrack of this movie is brilliant, featuring rock and roll bands from the '70s.
6. Norma Bates, Bates Motel
Vera Farmiga plays the role of Norma Bates in this show that released its final episode on April 24th of this year. Based on the characters of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 psychological thriller Psycho, Farmiga plays a mentally ill, teenage Norman Bates' mother on the show. Although it can be argued their relationship is somewhat warped and dysfunctional, Norma only wants to protect her son and puts herself through countless dangerous situations to do so. She has her bad days, like everyone else, but right from the first episode, her unshakeable optimism and love despite what life may throw at her mirrors the struggle our mothers put in for us and remind us why we appreciate them so much. Also, without giving away any spoilers, the final episode of the show hits the right emotional cords as it depicts the bond shared between the two in a manner so perfect, audiences will definitely be bawling their eyes out.