Most of my (limited) experience of Brazilian film has been restricted to street gangs and violence (Pixote, City of God). So The Second Mother‘s story of Val and her years as a nanny to Fabinho in Sao Paolo whilst her own daughter in brought up by relatives in northern Brazil is something completely different.
It comes with a swag of awards for female writer/director Anna Muylaert and boasts a great central performance from Regina Casé. But, whilst entertaining, The Second Mother is a little too predictable as a feisty daughter Jéssica (Camila Márdila) arrives in the city and upsets the unspoken class barriers between employer and employee.
The two shared the best actress award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.
Rating: 59%
Director: Anna Muylaert (Don’t Call Me Son, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes)
Writer: Anna Muylaert (Don’t Call Me Son, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes)
Main cast: Regina Casé (Me You Them, Rio I Love You), Camila Márdila (O Outro Lado do Paraíso)
An Opinion or Two 