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Stepmom

Play trailer Poster for Stepmom PG-13,  1998,  2h 4m,  Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 45% 92 Reviews Tomatometer 75% 250,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
45% Tomatometer 92 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Three years after divorcing Jackie (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his children, Luke Harrison (Ed Harris) decides to take the next step with his significantly younger girlfriend, fashion photographer Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts). But, when the flaky Kelly meets Harrison's children for the first time, their fierce allegiance to their mother is obvious. Try as she might, Kelly fails to endear herself to her young charges -- and to Jackie -- until a looming family crisis changes everything.
Stepmom

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Solid work from Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon isn't enough to save Stepmom from a story whose manipulations dilute the effectiveness of a potentially affecting drama.

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Critics Reviews

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Terry Lawson Detroit Free Press Jan 5, 2023
2/4
We are coddled with bittersweet cocoa, dazzled with movie-star melodramatics and then trotted off to warm beds with assurance that as hard as life may get, there will always be a movie to trivialize our pain. Go to Full Review
Jami Bernard New York Daily News Apr 2, 2019
3/4
It's a lovely daydream, made lovelier by the fiercely maternal performance of Sarandon as a lioness protecting her cubs, and Julia Roberts as a mass of insecurity trying to measure up to impossible standards. Go to Full Review
Jay Boyar Orlando Sentinel Apr 1, 2019
Well, if unearned pathos is your cup of tea, drink up. Go to Full Review
Rene Rodriguez Miami Herald Jan 5, 2023
2/4
Premature death has long been a screenwriter's crutch, but it's rarely felt as annoying as it does here. Go to Full Review
Sean P. Means Salt Lake Tribune Jan 4, 2023
1.5/4
The saddest thing about Stepmom is that so many good actors are laid waste to this sappy and unrelenting melodrama. A waste of talent of this magnitude is really something to cry about. Go to Full Review
Rachel Wagner Hallmarkies Podcast Jan 22, 2021
7.5/10
It earns its tears with great performances and good writing Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Han G Mar 12, 2019 Hard to like a movie that doesn't even know who the protagonist is. The titular character never wins, just suffers unending abuse at the hands of a stereotypical bitch who cares about her own pride more than the happiness of her children or herself. Meanwhile the film repeatedly tries to humanize the bitch, and focuses more on her character development (or lack thereof) than that of Roberts's character. You go from sympathizing with Roberts and hating Sarandon, to having the film try to force sympathy for Sarandon, to hating Sarandon again. Three or four times you think they're finally getting along, then Sarandon bitches out again. After this obnoxious plot device repeats itself into exhaustion, they finally decide to end the film with a "happily ever after" scene that feels forced and uncomfortable. See more
Dec 3, 2018 This movie encompasses the overall meaning of family. We can see themes of marriage, divorce, step families, acceptance, sickness, love and respect. It begins with the family trying to adjust after a divorce and acclimating to their new step mother. They go through trials and tribulations while dealing with each other, bitterness, life, sickness, and unforeseen circumstances. In the end it becomes evident that the only important thing in life is family and love. They all become a united family unit and put aside pride, ego and selfishness for the good of one another. See more
Oct 15, 2018 I have always wished that they would make a sequel to this movie cuz it was a wonderful and loving movie and also the movie explain a whole lot about having stepmothers and also explained about having cancer See more
Leia S May 9, 2017 Good film. Very emotional and very well made
Hermione R Feb 2, 2017 We all have to learn a little in order to grow together. There are many children who face divorce. In the movie "Stepmom" directed by Chris Columbus. He portrays a family who has fallen apart and must work together for the sake of their children's.  This film came out Dec 25, 1998. The story began with two women trying to win the kids heart. Jackie, a divorced mother of two, and Isabel the career-minded girlfriend of Jackie's ex-husband Luke, who enter the life of Jackie and Luke's children.  Later on in the movie these two women develop friendship and accept the fact that the children will have two mom. Jackie and Luke Harrison are a divorced couple that are struggling to help their children Anna and Ben be happy with this sudden change of lifestyle. Anna and Ben, the two children of Jackie and Luke, have to accept the fact that their parents are divorced and that there is a new woman in their father's life. Isabel is young and pretty. She is a successful photographer. She tries her best to treat the kids to like her and in a way that makes them still feel at home. But she is busy with her work and doesn't pay attention to the kids. But Jackie, the real mother don't understand that work can be important to her as much as the kids. However, Jackie is diagnosed with cancer which is discovered to be serious. She experiences negative emotions, angry at the woman who she feels played a role in her broken family, and angry at the fact that after all of the sacrifices she made for her family, she will not even get to see her children grow up. The two women finally bond when Isabel finds out the truth about Jackie, while Jackie in turn praises Isabel's hipness as a means to connect with Anna. Isabel finally lets her guard down when she tearfully tells Jackie her biggest fear is that on Anna's wedding day, all Anna will wish for is her mother's presence. Through her own tears, Jackie says her own fear is that Anna will forget her. Jackie explains to Isabel that, while Jackie will always have their past, Isabel will have their future. The film ends with the family celebrating Christmas. Jackie, bedridden from her illness, is visited in her room by Ben and Anna. Individually, Jackie tells her children after giving them their presents that even though she will die, she will always be with them as long as they remember her. Later that day, Isabel is taking a family picture of Luke and Jackie with their children. Jackie demonstrates her acceptance of Isabel by inviting her to join them in the picture. Isabel join them and both women are shown happily in a photo side by side, finally at peace with one another. This movie was heartwarming and sad. The fact that Jackie was ill, leaving the children with the stepmom. But the stepmom is nice and she really cared about the kids. It was good that the two mom work things out for the sake of the kids. In the movie I see that the kids was really hurt about the fact that their parents divorce. They have to try to work and adapt to the new lifestyle that they didn't ask for and they really try to make their kids happy. I would recommend this movie to parents who are divorced because this movie show great way how parents should handle their divorce. Instead of brainwashing their children this movie show great example on how to handle divorce situation. I also recommend this movie to children who gone through divorce as well. See more
Theodore L Feb 1, 2017 It's good movie to watch
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Stepmom

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Stepmom

Stepmom: Official Clip - Ain't No Mountain High Enough Stepmom: Official Clip - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 2:57 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - Isabel's Plan Works Stepmom: Official Clip - Isabel's Plan Works 1:59 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - You Have Made My Life So Wonderful Stepmom: Official Clip - You Have Made My Life So Wonderful 2:28 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - Losing Ben Stepmom: Official Clip - Losing Ben 2:46 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - Underlying Hostility Stepmom: Official Clip - Underlying Hostility 2:33 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - Mommy's Sick Stepmom: Official Clip - Mommy's Sick 2:11 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - Are You Dying? Stepmom: Official Clip - Are You Dying? 2:53 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - The Worst Day Until Now Stepmom: Official Clip - The Worst Day Until Now 1:54 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - You Have Their Future Stepmom: Official Clip - You Have Their Future 3:14 Now Playing Stepmom: Official Clip - Will You Marry Me? Stepmom: Official Clip - Will You Marry Me? 2:42 Now Playing View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Three years after divorcing Jackie (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his children, Luke Harrison (Ed Harris) decides to take the next step with his significantly younger girlfriend, fashion photographer Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts). But, when the flaky Kelly meets Harrison's children for the first time, their fierce allegiance to their mother is obvious. Try as she might, Kelly fails to endear herself to her young charges -- and to Jackie -- until a looming family crisis changes everything.
Director
Chris Columbus
Producer
Wendy Finerman, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan
Screenwriter
Jessie Nelson, Gigi Levangie, Steven Rogers, Karen Leigh Hopkins
Production Co
1492 Pictures, TriStar Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$91.0M
Runtime
2h 4m
Sound Mix
Surround
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