The Good Mothers

Last updated

The Good Mothers
The Good Mothers TV series poster.jpg
Teaser poster
Genre Crime drama
Based onThe Good Mothers
by Alex Perry
Written by Stephen Butchard
Directed by
Starring
Music byGiorgio Giampà
Country of origin
  • United Kingdom
  • Italy
Original languageItalian
No. of episodes6
Production
Producers
  • Juliette Howell
  • Tessa Ross
  • Harriet Spencer
  • Mario Gianani
  • Lorenzo Gangarossa
Cinematography
  • Vittorio Omodei Zorini
  • Martina Cocco
  • Ferran Paredes Rubio
Editors
Running time45 minutes
Production companies
  • House Productions
  • Wildside
Original release
Network Disney+
Release21 February 2023 (2023-02-21)

The Good Mothers is a 2023 British-Italian crime drama television mini-series directed by Julian Jarrold and Elisa Amoruso. Based on a true story and adapted from the eponymous novel by Alex Perry, the series depicts how three courageous women inside the notorious Calabrian 'Ndrangheta mafia worked with a female prosecutor to bring down the criminal empire. [1]

Contents

The Good Mothers had its international premiere at 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in Berlinale Series on 21 February 2023, as first 2 episodes out of 6 were screened. [2] It was released on April 5, 2023 internationally on Disney+ and on Hulu in the United States. [1]

Synopsis

Lea Garofalo tribute poster in the Orto e Giardino Didattico dedicated to her in Monza LEAGarofal.jpg
Lea Garofalo tribute poster in the Orto e Giardino Didattico dedicated to her in Monza

Set in 2010, the series begins with the disappearance of Lea Garofalo, who, together with her daughter Denise, had decided to end the 'Ndrangheta mafia. In Calabria, Anna Colace, a public prosecutor committed against the criminal clans, develops a new strategy to crush the power of the gangs by influencing the female members to collaborate and thus undermine the organization's power structure. A strategy that puts women in front, and betray their families, in the hope of better future for themselves and their children.

Cast

Episodes

No. in
season		TitleDurationOriginal air date
1"Mouth of the Wolf"
"Nella bocca del lupo"		57 min5 April 2023 (2023-04-05)
2"Family and Loyalty"
"Famiglia e lealtà"		60 min5 April 2023 (2023-04-05)
3"Another Life"
"Un'altra vita"		61 min5 April 2023 (2023-04-05)
4"Betrayal"
"Tradimento"		57 min5 April 2023 (2023-04-05)
5"Mothers and Daughters"
"Madri e figli"		61 min5 April 2023 (2023-04-05)
6"Courage"
"Coraggio"		61 min5 April 2023 (2023-04-05)

Production

On 15 April 2021, Disney+ confirmed the production of its Star Original series The Good Mothers. This series was part of Disney+ and Star's first European originals productions. [3]

Release

The first 2 episodes of the series were screened at 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in Berlinale Series on 21 February 2023. It began streaming on 5 April 2023 internationally on Disney+ and on Hulu in the United States. [4]

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.00/10, based on 7 critic reviews. [5]

Joel Keller of Decider asserted, "The first episode of The Good Mothers sets up a powerful story of an unheard faction of the ‘Ndrangheta families that stood up and helped to bring them down." [6] Jasper Rees of The Telegraph gave the series a grade of 5 out of 5 stars, called it a "superb adaptation" of Alex Perry's book, and said that each episode is "compelling." [7] Nick Clark of Evening Standard gave The Good Mothers a grade of 4 out of 5 stars, writing, "A gritty, Italian-language mafia drama may not have been an obvious gap in his CV, but this is expertly handled. Its beautifully shot, and thrillingly tense. Search it out, mamma mia this is good." [8]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResultRef.
2023 73rd Berlin International Film Festival Berlinale SeriesThe Good MothersWon [9] [10]
Nastri D'Argento Grandi SerieBest SeriesThe Good MothersNominated [11] [12]
Best Actress Barbara Chichiarelli Nominated
Best ActorFrancesco ColellaNominated
Best Supporting Actress Valentina Bellè Won
2024 29th Critics' Choice Awards Best Foreign Language SeriesThe Good MothersNominated [13]

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References

  1. 1 2 Vivarelli, Nick (21 February 2023). "Disney+ Series 'The Good Mothers,' Real Story of Women Who Dare to Defy Italian Mob, Marks U.K. Italy Collaboration". Variety . Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  2. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (16 January 2023). "Berlinale Series Unveils Eight World Premieres & TV Jury". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Disney+ renforce son offre de productions européennes en dévoilant ses premières séries originales britanniques" [Disney+ strengthens its offer of European productions by unveiling its first British original series] (Press release) (in French). The Walt Disney Company France. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  4. ↑ Minniti, Marco (22 February 2023). "Presentati al Festival di Berlino 2023 – nell'ambito della sezione Berlinale Series – i primi due episodi di The Good Mothers convincono" [Presented at the Berlin Film Festival 2023 – as part of the Berlinale Series section – the first two episodes of The Good Mothers convince]. Asbury Movies (in Italian). Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  5. ↑ "The Good Mothers - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  6. ↑ Keller, Joel (6 April 2023). "'The Good Mothers' Hulu Review: Stream It Or Skip It?". Decider . Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  7. ↑ Rees, Jasper (5 April 2023). "The Good Mothers, Disney+ review: masterly Italian drama places women front and centre – for once". The Telegraph . ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Clark, Nick (5 April 2023). "The Good Mothers on Disney+ review: true mafia tale is nerve-janglingly tense". Evening Standard . Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  9. ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (22 February 2023). "Disney+ Mafia Drama 'The Good Mothers' Wins First Ever Berlinale Series Award". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  10. ↑ Bałaga, Marta; Hopewell, John (22 February 2023). "Disney+ Original 'The Good Mothers' Scoops Berlinale Series Award". Variety . Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  11. ↑ Leombruni, Lucrezia (12 May 2023). "Nastri d'Argento, Mare Fuori è la serie dell'anno". Agenzia Dire (in Italian).
  12. ↑ Naselli, Antonio (17 June 2023). "NASTRI d'ARGENTO GRANDI SERIE 2023_NASTRI SPECIALI e STASERA LA PREMIAZIONE". Nastri d'Argento (in Italian).
  13. ↑ Shanfeld, Ethan (15 January 2024). "Critics Choice Awards 2024: Winners List (Updating Live)". Variety. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
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