Whether you're taking the whole family out for celebratory brunch or sending flowers and a card to your long-distance mom, it's never too late to sneak a movie or show into your Mother's Day plans.
Streaming now, here are 15 movies and series about the magical art of mothering, perfect for watching with your mom this weekend.
Note: Many of the films and shows on this list are not suitable for all ages, so we've marked the kid-friendliest options with an asterisk (*) for your knowledge. Enjoy!
1. Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
You haven't lived until you and your mom have belted "Waterloo" as a team.
Starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, and Cher, this ABBA-infused double feature is what spectacular Mother's Days are made of. Pour the mimosas, grab your bell-bottoms, and prepare to be dazzled. —Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Mamma Mia!(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Prime Video.(opens in a new tab) Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again(opens in a new tab) is available to rent on Prime Video. (opens in a new tab)
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once
In this Best Picture-winning movie, Michelle Yeoh stars as a harried mom/wife/laundromat owner/taxpayer who is getting pressure from every possible angle. And that's before an alternate-universe version of her husband (Ke Huy Quan) crashes in to ask her to save all of existence. Slingshotted into a myriad of other possibilities for her life, she sees red carpets, raccoons, and rock slides, yet her focus is ultimately on her twentysomething daughter (Stephanie Hsu).
Written and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once is by far the most cerebral film on our list, but also the most celebrated. For all its weirdness, the warmth of this movie and its message will hit you like a googly eye between your brows. Then, joy will carry you home again. —Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Everything Everywhere All at Once is streaming on Showtime. (opens in a new tab)
3. Akeelah and the Bee*
Mothers always want to protect their children, even from themselves.
Starring Keke Palmer, Angela Bassett, and Laurence Fishburne, Akeelah and the Bee tells the story of a talented girl fighting for her chance to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Full of wonderful characters and a whole bunch of words you can't spell, this is one underdog story with a complex parenting component you and your mom will love. —A.F.
How to watch: Akeelah and the Bee(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Prime Video.(opens in a new tab)
4. Good Girls Seasons 1-4
Sometimes moms have to go to extreme lengths to take care of their kids.
This incredible dramatic comedy follows three moms (Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman, and Retta) as they leave behind their suburban struggles to take on a life of crime. It's a nail-biting binge, with just enough comedic relief to keep you from totally coming unhinged. Buckle up. —A.F.
How to watch: Good Girls(opens in a new tab) Seasons 1-4 are streaming on Netflix(opens in a new tab).
5. Lady Bird
It's the Greta Gerwig masterpiece heard round the world.
Lady Bird follows a restless Sacramento teen (Saoirse Ronan) as she struggles to come into her own and pushes her mother (Laurie Metcalf) away in the process. Painfully relatable, this movie might leave you and your mom in a nostalgic puddle of tears, but y'know, the good kind. —A.F.
How to watch: Lady Bird(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Showtime.(opens in a new tab)
7. Turning Red*
If you've somehow missed out on the phenomenon that is Domee Shi's Turning Red, use Mother's Day as an excuse to catch up. Aside from the critically heralded comedy and commentary on coming of age, this animated adventure about a mother-daughter bond also has a banging soundtrack and a cavalcade of female relatives who come together for each other, no matter what. —K.P.
How to watch: Turning Red is streaming on Disney+. (opens in a new tab)
6. Grace & Frankie Seasons 1-7
If you're not already firmly aboard the Grace & Frankie train, then you're more than overdue to get caught up. Luckily, you and your mom can make a weekend out of it and indulge in all seven seasons now.
Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Sam Waterston, and Martin Sheen shine in a delightful sitcom chronicling the ups-and-downs of parenting grown-up children, while moving onto the next phase of after-seventy life. Full of heart and laughs, this show is next-level likable. —A.F.
How to watch: Grace & Frankie(opens in a new tab) Seasons 1-7 are streaming on Netflix(opens in a new tab).
7. Tully
Being a mom is hard. Like really, really, really hard.
Charlize Theron takes on a new kind of character study in this dramatic film, examining what it means for one woman to try and do it all. Heart-wrenching and full of surprises, Tully won't be an easy watch — but it's important viewing for any adult child wanting to understand all that moms go through for their kids. —A.F.
How to watch: Tully(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Netflix(opens in a new tab).(opens in a new tab)
8. Dead To Me Seasons 1-3
OK, mothering is only one part of this addicting series — but you and your mom will still love it.
Dead To Me takes a look at life after loss and what it means to be a newly single parent, with a top-notch cast including Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini.
Then, things get wild. Full of twists, turns, and the best one-liners since Big Little Lies, you're gonna wanna catch this Netflix show ASAP. —A.F.
How to watch: Dead to Me(opens in a new tab) Seasons 1-3 are streaming on Netflix(opens in a new tab).
9. Crazy Rich Asians
The only mom you want to like you more than your own? Your significant other's.
Starring Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh, the summer 2018 smash hit takes a larger-than-life look at the ever-evolving relationship between mothers and their children. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll plan a trip to Singapore. —A.F.
How to watch: Crazy Rich Asians(opens in a new tab) is streaming on HBO Max(opens in a new tab).
10. Incredibles 2*
Super and supportive, Elastigirl is one truly incredible mom.
The long-awaited next chapter in the lives of The Incredibles arrived 14 years after the first film hit theaters, and its parenting narrative stood out to critics and fans alike. A perfect follow-up to the already flawless The Incredibles (2004), this family-friendly flick is just the right celebratory mom film for your Mother's Day. —A.F.
How to watch: Incredibles 2(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)
11. Freaky Friday*
It's the most classic of Mother's Day movies!
This body-swap flick looks at the hilariously complicated relationship between a buttoned-up mom (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her rebellious teenage daughter (Lindsay Lohan). Also featuring Chad Michael Murray at his absolute finest, you and your mom are gonna love it. —A.F.
How to watch: Freaky Friday(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)
12. Stepmom
Mothering is complicated. Step-mothering? Just as complicated.
An oldie but a goodie, this iconic drama starring Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon follows one family as they attempt to navigate the complex realities of parenting children of divorce. Moving and poignant, this flick will more than pull at your heartstrings. Ask your mom if she has tissues in advance.—A.F.
How to watch: Stepmom(opens in a new tab) is available to rent on Prime Video(opens in a new tab) or to stream on Netflix(opens in a new tab).
13. Monster-in-Law
This ridiculous aughts comedy takes in-law horror stories to the next level.
Featuring Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda having the most fun, Monster-in-Law documents the extreme lengths one woman will go to protect her son from "the wrong woman." Hilarious and over-the-top, this one is worth the revisit. —A.F.
How to watch: Monster-in-Law(opens in a new tab) is available to rent on Prime Video(opens in a new tab).(opens in a new tab)
14. The Kids Are All Right
Adoptive parenting can be complex, especially for queer couples. The Kids Are All Right takes that reality to its most ludicrous limits.
With an all-star cast (Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo) of layered characters and some of the snappiest dialogue the family drama has ever known, this movie is one that will hang with you long after the credits roll.—A.F.
How to watch: The Kids Are All Right(opens in a new tab) is available to rent on Prime Video(opens in a new tab).
15. Gilmore Girls Seasons 1-7 and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
A more iconic mother-daughter duo has never been found.
Starring Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham as the titular Gilmore Girls, this series is a binge too big for one weekend — but it couldn't hurt to squeeze in a few episodes. Packed with hilarious dialogue and some of the most delightful characters ever written, this is what mothering dreams are made of.—A.F.
How to watch: Gilmore Girls(opens in a new tab) Seasons 1-7 (opens in a new tab)and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life(opens in a new tab) are available on Netflix(opens in a new tab).(opens in a new tab)
16. Dumplin'
Getting along with family isn't always easy, but reconciling your differences is often worth it.
Jennifer Aniston and Danielle Macdonald play a mother-daughter pair with different views on beauty but a shared passion for Dolly Parton in Netflix's Dumplin'. Touching and hilarious, this YA novel turned feature film will get you humming "9 to 5" and hugging it out in no time. —A.F.
How to watch: Dumplin' is streaming on Netflix(opens in a new tab).
17. Petite Maman
You know that world-rattling moment when you realize your mom was once a kid just like you? Petite Maman burrows into that tender time with a bit of time travel, allowing a little girl to meet her mom when she was her age.
Critics have cheered the simple but sublime drama crafted by Céline Sciamma, the celebrated writer-director of the rapturous lesbian romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire.(opens in a new tab) Painted in calming hues of blue, green, and yellow, Petite Maman is a visual lullaby, its song sung by two child actresses who reject the cloying precociousness of American feel-good movies. Instead, they are reflective, occasionally giggling, but consistently compelling. After watching this one, you'll definitely want to call your mom. —K.P.
How to watch: Petite Maman is streaming on Hulu.(opens in a new tab)
UPDATE: May. 12, 2023, 10:12 a.m. EDT This story war originally posted in 2019, but has been republished with updated information on where to stream selected titles.
