I have set myself a goal lately: -to watch as many Hungarian films as possible, because there are some that are unfairly underrated.
“Mom and other loonies in the family” immediately satisfied several of my expectations, as the story is Hungarian, good and historical as well. An elderly lady with dementia tells the story of her long and eventful life to her middle-aged daughter who takes care of her; in other words, the twentieth century, which was often messed up by the systems. The experiences keep appearing as flashbacks and, although no great surprises occur, given the history, it is interesting to see how much can happen within the lifetime of a 90-year-old woman. Ibolya Fekete’s film is a story inspired by her own experiences, as the script is based on the experiences of her mother, and anyone who has moved 27 times in ones lifetime, certainly not lived a dull life. The spectacle of nearly two hours of drama and laughter is stunning, the actors are brilliant; moreover, the the fluency and authenticity of the script definitely deserve extra points.
The fact is, however, that the film starts stronger than it ends, as the plot could have done with another half an hour, or so; but, perhaps, the audience could do with less. It’s a light weekend movie that you can laugh at, complain about and compare with your own family’s story; and then, sit back and conclude that ours is better still.