Yes, let’s celebrate bad mothers. Scream it from the rooftops. Or at least at a PTA meeting. Not exactly liberating or female empowerment, but given the girls behaving badly super-comedy genre, this is not going to cause many feminist fires. Take it for what is, an opposition to the male equivalent, rowdy, drunk, care-free moms, letting hair down and going rogue. Of course, the acceptance of imperfect, rocky motherhood is the core message, when it eventually gets there.
In the lead role, whether she is ready for it or not, Mila Kunis seems to remain drop dead gorgeous, barring some circles around the eyes and unflattering bras, as her life spirals into chaos. Husband an exaggerated bozo, cheats and talks shit, while the two kids have everything handed to them literally on a plate. A great mom she is, carrying the whole weight of the family on her shoulders. Kunis is up to this not wholly demanding task, portraying a shift in fortunes with sparky humor and apt emotion.
A standard comedy formula, some rather fickle character arcs, and over-use of adult brats at large, the creators of Bad Moms perhaps had too much liquor too. That said, there is still a light breeze of satisfaction watching women learn a life message via copious doses of party fluid. And this funny, period. The icing on the cake is Kristen Bell in ditsy form, putting slo-mo dancing back on the map, and Kathryn Hahn, hilarious throughout, clearly given the best lines and temperament, chewing up vulgar gestures and dialogue, and spitting it back out.