One of film legend John Waters masterworks, Serial Mom is not only brilliant in its social analysis, and exciting in its varieties of murders, but star Kathleen Turner‘s absolute brilliance in a complex and demanding role. Turner delivers a tour de force performance.
Mother’s Day was recently celebrated in the U.K., and will soon be celebrated here in May. One could not hope for better viewing pleasure on Mother’s special Day.
Kathleen Turner revels in this role as a complex, psychotic woman murderer, mother, cook, wife, and loudly verbal, orgasmic lover. As her own defense attorney, she is amazingly adept. She goes from boring neighbor, to frightening killer, to a celebrity adored by feminists and the media.
A modern parable of success and second, third, fourth, and more lives and chances in modern America.
The model of a closely-knit and loving family, they nevertheless have some faults. Like so many upper middle class suburban families, much is hidden from prying eyes of friends and neighbors.
Distinguished actor Sam Waterston is a dentist who occasionally refuses to use novocaine on a screaming patient. To his credit, he still makes loud, sloppy love to his screaming, multi-orgasmic wife. Enough to upset his grown children. Ricki Lake is a shy, sensitive daughter who happens to be extremely horny and openly seduces handsome young men, even while in church. Her brother loves snuff and gore films, while presenting an appearance of apple pie and lemonade wholesomeness. The kids’ young male friend has an insatiable appetite for porn, and luxuriates in savagely performative masturbation scenarios.
Everything seems perfectly ideal at a cliche home. Until, it seems, screen legend Mink Stole (as a suburban neighbor) cuts off Kathleen Turner, stealing a parking spot at a local mall. This apparently makes Mom snap who as a result, bombards her friend with filthy, abusive phone calls using a growling suggestive bull dyke voice where she continuously calls her PUSSY.
It takes a brilliant actress like Ms.Turner to revel in this multifaceted character. She is the icon of respectability, while simultaneously performing outrageously gruesome murders. Many will have favorites. Maybe death by fireplace poker while urinating at a urinal, with the victim’s heart caught on the poker. Or perhaps death by car, being run over once, then backing up to finish the job. Or this writer’s favorite, death by falling air conditioner. Of course, death by flamethrower would be my second choice.
Delicious appearances by Suzanne Sommers, and Patty Hearst add extra delight to an altogether delightful film, lovingly shot in glorious springtime, trees in blossom, and azaleas blowing.
Serial Mom, directed by John Waters, 1994, HBO films. DVD 1999. Rated R. Seen with a DVD from the Burlington County, NJ, public library.