‘They mess you up, your mum and dad' – to paraphrase Philip Larkin. It's a bleak sentiment shared by struggling novelist Edward (James McArdle). The reluctant hero of Four Mothers is spending what should be the best years of his life caring for his elderly mother, Alma (Fionnula Flanagan).
In this Irish dramedy, filmed on location in inner-city Dublin, brothers Darren and Colin Thornton explore the complex dynamics of caring for aging relatives. At a neat 89 minutes, Four Mothers achieves the remarkable feat of making every word count. Not a single line is unnecessary, no scene wasted.
The Thornton brothers are well-versed in delivering impactful, soulful drama about the human condition. Their 2016 film A Date for Mad Mary won international awards for the siblings and the eponymous Mary, Seána Kerslake. In Four Mothers, the Thorntons again bring their subtle social commentary to the big screen. The familial filmmakers expertly navigate the difficult topic of aging as its ensemble are forced to confront the reality of getting older.
Recovering from a stroke that has left her mute and wheelchair-bound, Fionnula Flanagan's Alma is spectacular as the stubborn octogenarian. After more than three decades as caregiver, Alma finds the circle of life has reversed. As she navigates her new way of life, she now relies on her son Edward to help her bathe, dress, and eat. Without saying a word—Alma is an iPad OAP communicating via text to speech—Flanagan conveys a whole host of emotions.
Despite being permanently flustered, Edward finds some solace in the fact that his three close friends also have demanding mothers to look after. His fellow caregivers (Gearoid Farrelly, Gordon Hickey, and drag queen Panti Bliss) share Edward's dissatisfaction at days spent at church services and hospital appointments. That is until they decide to abandon Nanny Day Care and head to Winter Pride in Gran Canaria. Swapping mass for Maspalomas, the sun seeking trio drop off their mothers to an overwhelmed Edward. Much to Alma's annoyance, her son now needs to tend to three more Gaelic Golden Girls: Jean, Maude, and Rosey (Dearbhla Molloy, Stella McCusker, and Paddy Glynn). With help from physiotherapist Raf (Gaetan Garcia), who tells Edward to “for once make a decision and live with it”, Edward must balance his burgeoning writing career with keeping the four eccentric mothers safe and well. Edward certainly seems to have drawn the short straw, but ends up the real winner as the partygoers return from the Canaries with terrible hangovers and tacky souvenirs.
Melancholic, ironic, Four Mothers deftly highlights that getting older does not mean losing your humour or agency. It is a reminder that older adults should still be independent and empowered. The design elements in Four Mothers are painfully accurate. Edward's childhood home is a relic from the past with soft pastel fabrics and sepia furniture. The film's framing is authentic but not kitsch.
Despite the title, Four Mothers isn't solely about reaching your golden years. Rather, it ponders the meaning of living life to the fullest. Burnt out Edward, a relative spring chicken, ponders how “one day in your 30s you wake up scared and you don't know why”. The Thornton brothers have a beautiful knack of saying just enough to make you think and fill in the blanks.
It is not explicitly a criticism of how years of underfunding has broken social care, or how rising house prices make the Irish property ladder unclimbable. But it certainly says enough to provoke deep thought on the shape of society.
At its heart, Four Mothers is a wonderful, bittersweet film about loneliness, community, and kinship. It is packed with humour and pulls at the heartstrings, and under 90 minutes is surely cult material.
Four Mothers screened at BFI Flare and will be released in UK and Irish cinemas 4th April
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