There is a secret world of movies, beneath the one we know. Hidden among the superheroes, explosions and car chases are films that don't attract headlines or online buzz, yet quietly prosper. They are films made for a unique subculture of rarely spotted moviegoers. I call them Mum Movies.
While everyone was talking about Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers, a little film called The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel quietly made more than $130 million worldwide. Similarly to The Avengers, Marigold assembled a power cast of big hitters. The cast includes pretty much every prestigious older actor available - Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Celia Imrie, Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton. Here they are in one of the film's many blistering action scenes:
Similarly, a modest film about a married couple trying to rekindle their neglected relationship made $61 million worldwide this winter. Hope Springs stars Meryl Streep; this component is not essential for Mum Movies but it certainly helps.
Streep has competed with Batman in the multiplex before. A few years back, Dark Knight was storming its way to more than $1 billion in box office, but Streep's delightfully daffy Mamma Mia grossed more than $600 million worldwide. That's a lot of money for a film targeted solely at women and the gays. Although, to be honest, I am neither and could not have been more thrilled by its wonky charm.
This is what is known in the business as "counter programming", putting something on that will appeal to an audience neglected by the mass market of the moment. Kind of like screening a Fellini film during the Rugby World Cup.
I knew Exotic Marigold was going to be a hit when my own mother went to see it. Mum is the person responsible for my passion for movies, introducing me to frothy Fred Astaire movies on rainy afternoons. But, as far as I can remember, mum hasn't been to the pictures in quite a while. I think the last film I went to see with her was Apollo 13 in 1995.
But she went to Exotic Marigold and loved it. The next week she went to see Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. Now there's another Mum Movie if ever I saw one.
A break of about 17 years and she was fully back in business. In fact, she's going to an all-night George Romero zombie festival next week. Just kidding.
I think Mum Movies should be embraced. It's slightly disturbing to see the movie landscape homogenised with big, loud spectacles designed to thrill teenage boys. The more variety in our movie diet, the healthier we will be.
I reviewed Hope Springs for The Press and was charmed by its subtle, gentle pace and focus on performance. It was refreshing that for the entire 90 minutes nothing exploded and no one chased anyone.
So, all hail Mum Movies. Long may they live. And, for that matter, long live mum.
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Haven't seen Hope Springs, but I enjoyed Best Exotic...
In the same vein, I also enjoyed Julie & Julia (Mrs Streep once more) and It's Complicated (that woman again!).
(Mid 30s straight male who wasn't particularly forced into seeing them by the g/f)
Another category in our house is "Friday night fish & chip" movies. Examples include Despicable Me, Hunt for the Red October, all the Indiana Jones movies (except for the terrible second one), Strictly Ballroom ....and so on. No deep analysis of the human condition, no searing emotion, they're never going to win oscars, but they're just good fun.
Yes, I see what you mean. However, I loved Best Exotic and I am 38 years old, and nobody's mum!
They were genius showing the shorts for Salmon Fishing on the Yemen before Best Exotic Marigold Hotel- you could hear a general whisper of "We'll have to see that one next Earl" throughout the cinema.
still waiting to see Best Exotic - recently saw Hope spings and definitely do not recommend it. boring in the extreme. I expected something like funny like "ït's complicated" but was sorely disappointed
Saw Hope Springs last night and have to agree with you. It was a great little movie and the performances from all the main actors were brilliant
Step Brothers is a good movie for mums
Movie lover #3 - the first three Indiana Jones films all won Oscars. Raiders was nominated for 9 (inlcuding best picture) and won 4 and a special extra one as well!
Bring on more of the Mum Movies.....we mums are so 'over' the horrible crime, violence and horror movies (they're too much like real life now unfortunately and are not what we want our kids watching either). Give us some escape from all that!
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Best Exotic marigold was a wonderful film and restored my faith in movies - You don't need bodies everywhere, high tech gadgets or soul wrenching sorrow to make a film great - just brilliant dialogue, sound story lines delivered by credible actors.