Serial Mom Rating: Release Date: 13 July, 1999 Retail Price: $9.98 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Kathleen Turner Matthew Lillard Justin Whalin Sam Waterston Complete Cast (8 total)

Serial Mom Reviews

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Over-the-Top, But That's the Point
When people (mostly critics) mention two John Waters films they say Hairspray and Serial Mom. The first John Waters film I ever saw was "Pink Flamingos" and until I watched this, that film was the only one I had seen. Waters made that film (commonly called the most disgusting film ever made and rightly so) to get his name out there; His plan worked. He never made a film like that movie, but he still makes films with the intention of shocking his audience. Serial Mom is a comedy that is very over-the-top and has a lot to say about the media. Having only seen Pink Flamingos, I can't believe the same person wrote and directed both of these movies. They both have a strange vision for sure, but they're very different films. Kathleen Turner ('The Virgin Suicides') plays Beverly Sutphin is the definition of a perfect suburban mom. She's like those characters you see in 60's television shows like Leave It to Beaver. She has a loving husband (Sam Waterston)and two children (Ricki Lake and Scooby Doo's Matthew Lillard) Misty and Chip. Everything seems perfect; Then two detectives show up at the Sutphin household to ask Beverly about obscene phone calls her neighbor Dottie (Mink Stole, who worked with Waters on Pink Flamingos as Connie Marble)has been getting. But, Beverly couldn't possibly be making such calls. Or is she? Pretty soon, obscene phone calls escalate to murder, which begins with her son Chip's math teacher. When Beverly is finally arrested after a series of murders, the film really goes over-the-top. The movie isn't perfect; Kathleen Turner is perfect as Beverly Sutphin, but the movie has its share of flaws. It's not hilariously funny, it's mildly funny. The comedy is more to be appreciated than to be enjoyed. This movie is entertaining and it's funny how true most of this stuff is. Look for cameos by former porn star Traci Lords and John Waters as the voice of Ted Bundy. If you like Waters' stuff, check this movie out. If you don't, stay away.

GRADE: B-


One of the best comedies ever.
This film was made in 1994, a few years after "Cry-Baby". John Waters has a Hollywood sized budget to work with and continues his path to more "mainstream" targeted movies. But for those fans who fear this would compromise Waters' humour - don't worry, it doesn't.

"Serial Mom" has the qualities that many mainstream comedies lack. It can be seen as satire, or you can just turn your brain off and have lots of fun. The dialogue is hysterical and the cast does a wonderful job, especially Kathleen Turner in the title role. In this film, she makes one of the greatest comedic roles in film history. I also love Mink Stole as the neighbor and unknown Patsy Grady Abrams as Emmy Lou, a customer in the local video store who only rents family films - and doesn't rewind!

While this is quite different from the films Waters made 20 years earlier, it is by no means worse. This may very well be his best movie, and one of my favorite comedies ever. I would recommend it to Waters fans as well as those who aren't yet familiar with him. If you buy the region 1 DVD you get a nice director's commentary.

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