Mom and Me

Ken Wardrop | Ireland

long
77'
English spoken

They are a successful businessman, tough cowboy, war veteran, drug addicted prisoner or smooth lawyer. Men from Oklahoma, the ‘manliest’ state in the United States. They all have one weakness: their mother.

They talk about it on the phone, when they call in to a local chat show run by Joe, who also talks about his relationship with his deceased mother. In addition to these phone calls, we also see the men together with their mothers: strong, outspoken personalities who ride horse, shoot, play chess or race down the street in their cars.

The men describe their mothers, how they have experienced their – not always obvious – love, what their mother means to them and how they will miss her. Bronko, for example, a big, burly guy, who tries on hats with his mother and is a bit embarrassed to say that she always refers to him as ‘little Ernest’ on postcards. And Shad, who’s in a wheelchair and is encouraged by his mother to participate in sport competitions. Meanwhile she lectures him on the pitfalls of chat sites while putting on his prosthetic feet.

Bronko, a big, burly guy, tries on hats with his mother and is a bit embarrassed to tell that she refers to him as him ‘little Ernest’ on postcards.

Not all love is self-evident, as shown in the conversations between Corey, Luke and Jefferson, with and about their mothers. They’ve had to deal with ‘tough love’ or a lack of affection, which left a mark on their lives – the conversations in front of the camera are revealing in their awkwardness.

These are stylized, short and intense little portraits that say a lot about the mothers, maybe even more about the sons – some of whom have no qualms about being a mother’s boy – but above all about the bond between the two. And it shows the overwhelming influence of a mother, the most important woman in the life of any man.

Nicole Santé (translation by Marjan Westbroek)