Second Mother Anna Muylaert Analysis

1)What was the name of the film? Who produced the film? Who starred in the leading roles? Did it win any awards?

“Second Mother” is a Brazilian film and is spoken in Portuguese with english subtitles. Anna Muylaert wrote, directed, and helped to produce the film Second Mother. Anna Muylaert is quoted as saying that she wanted to make a film about people who take care of other people’s children referring to it as “sacred work that is very underrated”. Second Mother was made in Brazil and was mainly filmed in Morumbi, a high -class neighborhood in Sao Paulo. The lead actor in the film “Val” is played by Regina Case. The supporting actor who plays “Jessica”, Val’s daughter is Camila Mardila. The other main actors in the film are Val’s employers Barbara (Karine Teles), Dr. Carlos (Lourenco Mutarelli), and their son Fabinho (Michel Joelsas). The film was shot in 2014 and released 2015. Second Mother has been well received by critics and selected as the Brazilian entry for Best Foreign Language Film in the 88th Academy Awards.

2) What motivated you to watch this film and not another?

Portugueses is my maternal grandmother’s native language and hearing it is comforting. My grandmother has been gone for seven years seeing this film reminded me of her. “Val” the lead actor in the film (played by Regina Case) had some of the same mannerisms as my grandmother. This made me feel that some of my grandmothers cute quirks(like the way she covered her mouth when she made a mistake) were cultural and not exclusive to her.

3) Give a brief synopsis of the

film?

Val leaves her daughter Jessica with the girls father so she can go work in the city of Sao Paulo as a maid/ nanny for a wealthy family. Early on in the film the class difference between Val and her employers is made clear. Val is a servant and does not eat or sit with the family at mealtimes. Val becomes a mother to Fabinho over the course of the 13 years she is his nanny. She becomes increasingly estranged from her daughter in that time. Trying to reach out to Jessica in regular phone calls and as time passes she refuses to talk to Val. Then unexpectedly Jessica calls Val to tell her she is going to apply for college in Sao Paulo. She would like to come stay with her so she can study for the entrance exams . When Val approaches her employer about Jessica staying with her, they say it is fine, and tell her to buy a mattress to put on the floor of her room. When Jessica arrives to stay with Val the tension and deep resentment that Jessica has for Val almost vibrates.

When Jessica sees the small room that Val lives in she complains the room is not large enough to suit her needs. The family that Val works for have a large home with a pool and guest room. When Jessica is being given a tour of the large home she is shown the guest room. Jessica asks Dr.Carlos (who has taken an inappropriate liking to Jessica) if she can stay in the guest room. Dr.Carlos tells Jessica she can stay in the guest room as long as she would like. Her mother is disappointed and embarrassed at her daughter’s forward behavior.Val tells her not ask and to decline when offered things from her employer. Jessica is disappointed with how her mother accepts being treated as a lower class citizen.

At a point in the film Fabinho and Jessica are playing and Fabinho throws Jessica in the pool this is a pivotable point in the movie. Val orders Jessica out of the pool and she slowly obeys asking why her mother is upset about her being in the pool. Val has never gone in the pool it has always been off limits to the help. Jessica and her mother argue, Val says to her daughter that she thinks that she is better than everyone else Jessica says “I don’t think that I am better I think that I am the same”.

Jessica passes her exams and is accepted into school and moves to an apartment of her own.

Val finds out that her daughter has a son back home. Val quits her job moves in with Jessica and asks her to go get her grandson. Val wants to take care of her grandson while her daughter goes to college. With the help of her daughter Val starts to realize she is the same as everyone else. She is given the chance of redemption for leaving her daughter by helping to raise her grandson so that her daughter can go to school.This allows Jessica not repeat history.

4) Can you identify two or more theories or concepts that we are learning about or have learned about in our textbook with something that you saw? Briefly describe what you saw and the name of the theories or concepts.

One of the self-concepts demonstrated in the film was Class Identity. Val is a servant she is not allowed to eat with her employer. She sleeps in the smallest least fancy room in the house. It is unacceptable for her to swim in the pool. She has to ask permission to go out and has to make sure her chores are done before she can go. When Val is communicating with people she uses an accommodating style even if it is not a conflict.

5) Would you consider the film to have a happy ending? Why or Why not? Would this film be popular in your home culture? Why or why not?

The film has a contagious joy in the end. Val is giddy with laughter when she tells Jessica she quit her job at the end of the movie. This moment is the only time in the film that Jessica laughs with her mother. Western culture would receive this film because it is a film about triuphe of the spirit and redemption.

6) Was there something in the film that you just didn’t understand? Please explain what it was and whether you think that it was culturally based confusion or not.

In the film it is never made clear why Val leaves Jessica with her father. Val is funny, sweet, and a great second mother to Fabinho. It is hard to understand with a western culture background how a mother could leave her child. This makes Val have to win audience approval especially in places where this is considered culturally inappropriate.

7) Was there something in the film that you absolutely loved? Please explain what it was and whether you think that it is culturally based or not?

“Val” the lead actor in the film (played by Regina Case) had some of the same mannerisms as my grandmother. This made me feel that some of my grandmothers cute quirks(like the way she covered her mouth when she made a mistake) were cultural and not exclusive to her.

8) What did you learn about contemporary life in the film that you did not know before? Why did this fact stand out for you?

The differences between western culture and Brazilian were expected. Examples of our differences are obvious throughout the film . However the similarities are some what unexpected like in a scene in which the whole family is on their cell phones while having dinner. For some reason seeing the family engaged in very normal western culture behaviors was noticeable. Most likely because of the contrast between doing laundry and dishes by hand, and the use of computers and cell phones was somehow a contradiction.

9) Would you recommended this film to others? Why or why not?

Second mother is a heartwarming film that deserves the accolades it is getting from the critics, people, and film industry. The characters are very human having qualities that are easy to relate to. Second mother is a well made film and worth seeing.