Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the writing team behind “The Hangover” succeed again in their latest comedy, “Bad Moms.” The smart, laugh-out-loud film will continue to delight audiences around the world.
Although the title may sound unoriginal, “Bad Moms” is anything but. The film stars Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate, and Kathryn Hahn, all of whom have incredible comedic timing.
The movie tells the story of a misfit group of mothers who band together to take down the always judgmental head of the PTA, Gwendolyn, portrayed by Applegate, and her loyal minions.
The group consists of Amy (Kunis), the working mother who tries to juggle it all, Kiki (Bell), who only wears jewelry her children make her, and Carla (Hahn), the truly bad mom of the group who does not even know what a standardized test is.
Although she is not the main character, Kathryn Hahn steals the show with her deadpan facial expressions and incredible delivery when she says, “I’d rather go to Afghanistan than go to another kids’ baseball game!” or “Nice to meet you, Ike Turner!” which will be sure to have the audience laughing for several minutes.
If I could, I would write an entire review about Hahn’s performance alone — her spot-on comedic timing will turn laughs into howls.
What makes “Bad Moms” so hilarious is not that the three moms let loose and force their children to make their own breakfast but rather their realization that there is no such thing as being a good mother by today’s impossible standards.
Martha Stewart even makes a cameo, and Kiki (Bell) is star-struck, as Martha symbolizes the perfect mother, aside from the fact that she went to jail for a brief stint. There are constant funny, unexpected moments (and cameos) throughout the film that the audience will love.
Even though “Bad Moms” may sound like women trying to tear each other down, it is truly a feminist story. All of the women, the once intimidating and disapproving head of the PTA included, become close friends in the end, bonding over their newfound freedom of not having to be supermoms 24/7.
Gwendolyn (Applegate) realizes that her decision to hold a dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, everything-else-free bake sale was ridiculous in hindsight. Kiki (Bell) discovers that her husband should understand how much she has to put up with on a daily basis; he nearly has a nervous breakdown when he is forced to take care of all four kids at home.
Carla (Hahn) acknowledges that she does not have to be with her son 24/7 but should be aware of what a standardized test is. After she kicks out her cheating husband, Amy (Kunis) acknowledges that her children are under too much pressure, but they do need to complete their own homework. She won’t make any more 3D Richard Nixon heads for history class.
Overall, “Bad Moms” is one of the best comedies of the summer that is a love letter to the overworked, overtired, under appreciated mother. I, personally, have learned so much from both my mother and grandmother of how to be confident and strong, while remaining good, kind, and true.
I had the pleasure of attending the premiere earlier this week with my mom, and it was such a special experience. Be sure to see “Bad Moms” in a theater near you.
Featured image courtesy of Coming Soon.