Writer/director/actor Matt Nagin channels Woody Allen’s New York Stories entry, Oedipus Wrecks, with Sorry Mom, a tight, tragic, testy tale about the bonds of love and the boundaries of a mother’s great expectations. Unlike Allen’s segment, the filmmaker takes a different approach: our protagonist (Nagin) analyzes himself and his relationship with his mother in the wake of her passing. And what a life they shared. Much to our hero’s despair.
A mother’s love can be fickle, fleeting, functional, instructional, and irritating. Most folks will put up with behavior from their mother that they wouldn’t tolerate for a second from anyone else. And Matt’s mom broke the mold. You’ve heard of the unsinkable ship; we’ll now ready ourselves for the unstoppable mother. She systematically disapproves of her son’s very existence. His hopes, his dreams, his female companions. All he ever needed to do was exactly what his mother wanted. Maybe then he’d be a success? Maybe then he’d still have his sanity?
“…our protagonist analyzes himself and his relationship with his mother in the wake of her passing.”
Sorry Mom is funny, awkward, charming, and cathartic. We never truly know the impact a person had on our existence until they’re gone. For Nagin, his mom has obviously made an indelible mark. Even though she’s gone, she’s still around. Her nagging voice echoes across the vastness of her son’s soul.
If mom’s not happy, no one is. Sorry Mom does its best to appease her restless spirit. God knows her son could use a break.
"…funny, awkward, charming, and cathartic."
