Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Amy Adler Mrs. Martin (Sissy Spacek) is a single mother of three active children. One is almost-a-teen, Elizabeth (Anna Chlumsky), who finds mother's orders most awful, especially the one where she can not go shopping with friends. Elizabeth's two younger brothers are also upset that mother never has time to make pancakes but always makes time to insist on them cleaning the fish bowl and their bedrooms. Things go from bad to worse when Elizabeth is caught smoking at school and the younger boys get in a schoolyard tussle. Mom grounds them all for a month, at least. The next day, as the trio are allowed to visit a nice lady (Maureen Stapleton), who hired them to work in her garden over the summer, they learn of a magic spell which would allow them to choose a new mother from the "Mommy Market". Acting rashly, the three of them use the enchantment and mother does indeed vanish. But, at the market, there are no really attractive mothers, so they take a chance on a French lady (also Sissy Spacek) who has a cook. She ends up being a disaster as a mom. Yet, the kids only have two more chances to pick a new parent. Will they find the mother of their misguided dreams? This is pleasant little film but nothing extraordinary. Spacek shows off her abundant talent by taking on four different roles; one of them, the outdoorsy-mom, is a scream. The children, too, are very winning and Stapleton does a fine turn, too, as the gardening friend. All of the lesser roles are fulfilled well, also. As for the looks of the movie, it is quite attractive, with fun costumes, sets, and scenery. The script and the direction are fairly well-done, too. All in all, this is a nice flick for the family on any given night. Trade in those re-runs and get this one for a "something different" night in the near future.

Jamiec523 This movie was one of my favorites when I was a Kid. It is a very unique and thoughtful movie for the whole family to see. It really puts into perspective that it doesn't matter if someone can give you everything you could ever want, take you where you want to go all the time, or is so much more fun, no one in this world can replace your Mom. I love how this movie brings in morals to the kids who watch this movie. A lot will realise that your Mother is one of the dearest and irreplaceable people in your life. The only problem I had with the move was the ending. I did not like Harry's choice at all. I believe they should of had the last Mother choice to be more interesting and a longer outcome then Natasha. All in all I believe your whole family will enjoy this and will be a movie you will remember for years to come.

gymnastk8 i saw this movie for the first time about 4 years ago...i liked it, it seemed really nice- these kids wish their mother away, and they have to go to a "mommy market" to get another one. they cant find one they like, so they wish really hard for their mother to come back, and their wishing breaks their spell. nice huh? well thats basically the premise on the surface, but after watching the movie a few times, i started to think about it and really listen to some of the lines- theres definately more to this movie than meets the eye. i havent read the book it was based on, so i might be wrong, but my theory is that these three kids wish that all memory of their mother dissapear, and when this happens, every aspect of their mother (cooking, shopping, cleaning, playing games, etc) is portrayed as a mother. the kids pick the aspects that they like best, and they think they will be happy, but the truth is they need all the aspects of their mother. the woman who lives next door to them tries to explain this but rather cryptically- she cant exactly say it or they wont figure it out for themselves. she tells them that they have to really truly pick their mother. what they have been doing is picking a mother than they think is the coolest mom or the most fun. when they create a memory, they are picking a mother who really cares about them and who they really love. this brings her back. the only thing that is confusing is that when the spell is broken (when they wake up the next day and see their mother) there are still signs of the other mothers having been there (fluffy pillows, a circus prop, and a racoon trap). im probably way over-analyzing this movie, but i think its a really interesting film that u should see.

moonspinner55 When I first heard about "Trading Mom"--Sissy Spacek as a harried single mother whose kids wish her completely away, replacing her with a series of substitutes, all portrayed by Spacek in different guises--I thought it sounded great, and just the boost Sissy's career needed. But what a disappointment "Trading Mom" turns out to be. Based on the book "The Mummy Market" by Nancy Brelis, and adapted by the film's director, Tia Brelis, the comedy is poorly-paced and produced, and features the kind of movie-kids that make your teeth ache. As for Spacek, she's fine (as always) but is defeated by the colorless script. Some brief flashes of wit, nothing more. *1/2 from ****