Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

dion-perry This movie is based around a live-in servant Val and the three people she serves: the father, his daughter and her son. Despite living in the same house as her three masters, Val is very subservient and looked down upon. She does not swim in her master's pool, does not eat at the same table as them, nor does she eat the same food. Val's life is turned upside down when her daughter Jessica comes to stay in order to sit the university entrance exams; a university that is only for the elite. Despite her mother's insistence and pleading, Jessica refuses to conform to the role of servant's daughter with interesting consequences that are not stereotypical.The second mother is beautifully done. The acting is superb. The story is told elegantly showing not just the injustice of class, but presenting it for the ugly beast it is. What I particularly liked about it was that Jessica's role was not overdone and stereotyped. The character was not deliberately being antagonistic, she was simply being herself and that meant refusing to conform to class social norms. If you get the chance to see this film I urge you to do so.

CinemaClown A brilliant rendition of the prevalent but unspoken class differences in every society which further benefits from the writer-director's clear understanding of the relationship between an employer & an employee, The Second Mother is a measured, introspective & finely balanced story that takes a straightforward approach in tackling its themes but also offers plenty of laughs in between.Set in São Paolo, Brazil, The Second Mother (also known as Que Horas Ela Volta?) tells the story of Val, a hardworking & live-in housekeeper who has served her employers well for over a decade but has to live with the guilt of leaving her daughter behind. However, when Val's daughter decides to visit her, the existing class divide between the servants & their employers is thrown into disarray.Written & directed by Anna Muylaert, The Second Mother doesn't take much time in setting up its plot and swiftly briefs us through Val's daily routine plus the trust she has garnered over the years. Muylaert's direction shows great composure, all characters exhibit a well defined arc, and while the plot brims with lots of heart & warmth, it's always ready to take a witty bite when opportunity surfaces.Further enhancing the film's urban look n feel are its posh set pieces, bright colour tones & smooth camera-work when operating inside the house. Its 112 minutes of runtime unfolds like a breeze, the technical aspects are kept remarkably simple & wonderfully compliment the whole narrative, while the cast leaves no stone unturned to bring its interesting characters to life in a convincing manner.Coming to the acting department, the best performance comes from Regina Casé for her work as Val is absolutely sensational & she's the one who keeps everything glued together. Camila Márdila plays Val's daughter whose arrival & disregard for existing social norms results in an invisible layer of uneasiness between the two mothers while the rest of the supporting cast ably play their given roles.On an overall scale, The Second Mother is an enjoyable, entertaining & delightfully amusing tale of motherhood, social hierarchy & the roles each class is expected to play without being verbally told. Regina Casé's performance is the real highlight here but it doesn't mean that the input by others is underwhelming. Filled with meaty characters & never losing its funny edge, The Second Mother is definitely a pleasant surprise.

Red_Identity It's not everyday that we get a film like this, not willing to really dive into the political, social issues that pervade everyday life, and the cultural barriers and differences that micro- aggressions really make. The acting in this is superb, especially from Regina Case. It's all very natural and in the vein of real life, to an almost unbearably disturbing extent. The screenplay and directing are superb. None of it is at all showy, but it all builds up to quietly powerful, and deeply emotional, moments and scenes. The characterization is rich and it all really sneaks up on you in terms of its effect. definitely recommended, although it's not for those wanting loud or showy extravaganza.

Mike B Regina Case gives a heartfelt performance as the maid to a rich and rather snobby family – and as the mother to her long lost daughter. It is after the daughter reunites with the mother after a long ten year absence (not clearly explained) that the wheels of this film really start to churn to generate tension, but also immense warmth.Even though the film does meander now and then – every scene with Regina Case as surrogate mother to her adopted household, especially the son, and the real mother of her daughter gives off an energy of feeling and vitality. It is beautiful to behold the radiation that emanates in all her scenes. And its' nice to walk out of a film with the milk of human kindness – a rarity these days.