Four Mothers Review: LFF 2024

James McArdle has more elderly mams that he knows what to do with in Irish comedy Four Mothers

Edward is a locally successful Irish author who is facing the prospect of international acclaim after his book blows up on TikTok and he is offered a publishing deal in America. As part of the deal, they  want him to travel to the States for an international book tour. But as the primary carer for his elderly mother who is recovering from a stroke, he is struggling to balance his burgeoning success with his commitments at home.

At Sunday mass Edward and two of his friends, also single gay men in their 40s, commiserate over not being able to go to an international pride event as they are all currently caring for their mothers. The following morning Edward wakes to find they have dumped their mothers at his house for him to care for while they go on holiday. After complaining about the situation to his friend/therapist Dermot, Edward finds himself lumbered with a fourth mother when Dermot decides to follow suit and jet off to Spain too. “You’ve already got three” he says, “what’s one more?” As if passing off old ladies is the same as convincing your partner to adopt another cat from the shelter.

Four Mothers is the latest from Irish director Darren Thornton who co-wrote the script with his brother Colin. It’s a very loose adaption of the 2008 Italian film Mid-August Lunch, though more heavily inspired by the two brothers experience of having to move back home to care for their own elderly mother. It stars James McArdle as Edward and the legendary Fionnula Flanagan as his mother Alma. The houseguests are rounded out by Dearbhla Molloy, Stella McCusker and Paddy Glynn.

Four Mothers is a gentle comedy about unlikely bedfellows having to get along, as despite all the ladies being of a similar age and situation in life, they are vastly different characters and have no interest in being forced to live together – even temporarily. A perpetual doormat, Edward runs himself absolutely ragged trying to cater to every wish of his rude and demanding house guests while also trying to play peace keeper between their warring personalities.

The Thornton’s fleet but sensitive script uses the comical situation to highlight how far communication has broken down in this small Dublin house. For Alma this is literal, as she has lost the use of her voice following her stroke. For Edward it’s about realising that maybe the reason he’s unable to commit to his book tour isn’t his mother, but rather that he’s too anxious and uncertain to put himself out there.

McArdle and Flanagan give brilliant, sensitive performances; particularly Flanagan who has to do much with expression alone as Alma has no dialogue. She manages to be a character of tremendous strength despite her apparent bodily frailty. McArdle in turn swings between hilariously harried and resonantly lonely.

As the four women grow to find common ground in talking about their gay sons and their dead husbands, we get a snapshot glimpse into the communities that these men have grown up in. Four Mothers perhaps paints the Ireland of their youth to have been a slightly kinder world than it really was, for all four families are happy and settled with their sons’ sexualities. But it’s a light film with a storyline about intergenerational friendships so its hard to be mad at choosing to make a story focussed on love rather than conflict.

Four Mothers may be a little twee, but it’s very sweet and undeniably enjoyable. This feels like classic Sunday afternoon viewing, a warm hug of a film about community, friendship and appreciating your relationship with your parents while you’ve still got them.

Four Mothers is playing as part of the BFI London Film Festival 2024. Wider release details have yet to be confirmed.