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The Second Mother

Name: The Second Mother
Director: Anna Muylaert
Released: 2015
Duration: 112 min

Representation Score

6.1/10

Good

2015

Director

Anna Muylaert

Runtime

112 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film is a sophisticated exploration of social realism that uses the domestic sphere to examine systemic hierarchies. It succeeds by focusing on the friction between socioeconomic classes and the unseen labor of women. While the film effectively critiques class and gendered labor, it does not engage with queer identities. The narrative remains centered on traditional maternal and class-based struggles rather than exploring non-straight-centered perspectives. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its portrayal of the younger generation's resistance to class decorum. This provides a powerful commentary on social reclamation and individual empowerment within a rigid structure.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Second Mother have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not focus on queer relationships or identities. Instead, it emphasizes maternal bonds and the complexities of family life without addressing LGBTQ+ themes.

How does The Second Mother portray gender?

Good

Val is portrayed as the backbone of the household, highlighting the unrecognized labor of women. The story critiques the superficial authority of female employers and the exploitation of the mother archetype.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Second Mother?

Good

The narrative explores the tension between domestic workers and the elite, addressing post-colonial social structures. It centers the experiences of the underrepresented working class in São Paulo.

How does The Second Mother represent religion and culture?

Excellent

Jessica serves as a disruptive force against rigid class structures and capitalist exploitation. The film highlights the importance of education as a means to challenge a corrupt social order.

Does The Second Mother include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities that serve as central narrative drivers in this story.

Present on Screen

Detailed examination of traditional gender roles and domestic hierarchies.
Strong critique of capitalist exploitation and rigid class structures.
Effective portrayal of the working class's lived experience in affluent settings.

Limited or Absent

Lack of engagement with LGBTQ+ themes or queer identities.
No representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

After leaving her daughter Jessica in a small town in Pernambuco to be raised by relatives, Val spends the next 13 years working as a nanny to Fabinho in São Paulo. She has financial stability but has to live with the guilt of having not raised Jessica herself. As Fabinho’s university entrance exams approach, Jessica reappears in her life and seems to want to give her mother a second chance. However, Jessica has not been raised to be a servant and her very existence will turn Val’s routine on its head. With precision and humour, the subtle and powerful forces that keep rigid class structures in place and how the youth may just be the ones to shake it all up.

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