I'm Glad My Mother Is Alive
Strand Releasing | Release Date: September 2, 2011 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
73
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews
Positive:
6
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesStephen HoldenSep 1, 2011
I'm Glad My Mother Is Alive is anything but the clichéd fantasy of a blissful mother-child reunion. Although there are hints of joy once they reconnect, the wounds are too deep, and the characters too complex. Read full review
83
IndieWireEric KohnSep 3, 2011
The first half of I'm Glad My Mother's Alive effectively inhabits a child's mind in a manner that recalls Maurice Pialat's marvelous 1968 debut "The Naked Childhood." Read full review
80
Time OutSam AdamsAug 30, 2011
Barely 17 when she had Thomas, she's more like a peer than a parent, enough so that their uncomfortable relationship starts to take on a smattering of sexual tension. There's a nagging vagueness to this aspect of the movie, one that's difficult to square with the opening claim that it's based on real events; at a certain point, you may wonder which events they mean. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. MusettoSep 2, 2011
The narrative easily goes back and forth in time; despite its Oedipal subtext, it avoids exploitation. Stellar performances by Rottiers and Cattani help keep the movie on track. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubAlison WillmoreAug 31, 2011
Until the film takes an abrupt, annoyingly melodramatic late turn, the Millers handle Rottiers' character with great delicacy, aided by strong lead performances and a refusal to show Rottiers' adopted home as either idealized or seriously lacking. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineBill WeberAug 29, 2011
An understated--and at times, clinical to a fault--Oedipal drama of long-simmering resentment and familial love's ambiguities, I'm Glad My Mother Is Alive risks bringing chilly subjectivity to sensational raw material. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsJoe Dziemianowicz Sep 2, 2011
Based on a true story, co-writer/director Claude Miller ("A Secret") gets points for using a bit of narrative sketchiness to good effect. Read full review
50
Village VoiceMelissa AndersonAug 30, 2011
Despite the clumsy script and a shaky acting partner, Cattani, at least, is fascinating to watch, never demanding audience sympathy. Read full review
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