Step Mother Julia Roberts [upd] ✦ Must See

A well-crafted drama that succeeds thanks to the heavyweight clash between Roberts and Sarandon. Bring tissues.

It is a film defined by its performances. The final scene—a shared moment of recognition between the two women on a snowy porch—is a masterclass in acting. It is manipulative, yes, but it earns its tears. step mother julia roberts

is the film’s anchor. She plays Jackie not as a saint, but as a fiercely territorial mother who is sometimes cruel. She makes no apologies for hating Isabel, and Sarandon bravely keeps the character sharp and prickly even as she is dying. It would have been easy to play the cancer patient as a soft, angelic figure, but Sarandon plays a woman who is angry that she has to die, and terrified of being replaced. A well-crafted drama that succeeds thanks to the