| Mother of George | |
| Director: | Andrew Dosunmu |
| Producer: | Patrick S. Cunningham |
| Cinematography: | Bradford Young |
| Editing: | Oriana Soddu |
| Distributor: | Oscilloscope Laboratories |
| Runtime: | 106 minutes |
Mother of George is a 2013 drama film directed by Andrew Dosunmu[1] and tells the story of a newly married Nigerian couple in Brooklyn who own and manage a small restaurant while struggling with fertility issues. The film was produced by Patrick S. Cunningham and Rhea Scott.[2]
An international co-production of Nigeria and the United States, Mother of George premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Cinematographer Bradford Young won Sundance 2013's Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic for his work on the film, as well as for Ain't Them Bodies Saints.[3] [4] Mother of George was also selected as the closing night film at the 2013 Maryland Film Festival.[5]
The film was acquired for U.S. distribution by Oscilloscope Laboratories and was given a limited theatrical release on 13 September 2013.[6]
The film opens with the wedding of a Nigerian couple, Ayodele and Adenike Balogun. Adenike is given fertility beads by her mother-in-law, Mama Ayo and although the couple makes love on their first night of marriage, Adenike struggles to become pregnant. Despite drinking tea that is supposed to help with fertility, Adenike is still unable to conceive and faces growing pressure from Mama Ayo. A visit to the doctor reveals that Adenike can receive help on the issue, but Ayodele refuses to cooperate.
Sade mentions adoption but Adenike insists that she wants to give birth to the child herself. Mama Ayo raises a controversial option: Adenike could conceive the child with Ayodele's brother, Biyi. Biyi initially refuses to participate in the scheme but eventually gives in. Following this Adenike becomes pregnant. Ayodele believes he is the father.
The guilt becomes too much for Adenike to bear, and she finally tells her husband the truth. Ayodele subsequently walks out of the marriage and confronts his mother. Adenike goes into labor, and the film concludes as Ayodele joins the others at the hospital.
The film received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 91% rating based on 45 reviews, with an average rating of 7.20 out of 10. The site consensus states "Director Andrew Dosunmu's style takes some getting used to, but Mother of George compensates with powerful acting, a thoughtful script, and gorgeous visuals."[7] On Metacritic it has a score of 77% based on reviews from 21 critics.[8] It has been praised for its excellent camera work, setting, and plot, although the screenplay has received some criticism.[9] It was listed as a New York Times Critics’ Pick.[10]