Mom – A Safe Word and a Rib Eye

By: Julie Mante

When Christy (Anna Faris) comes out of the bathroom, she sees her mom Bonnie (Allison Janney) has finished her phone call. Bonnie tells Christy she was on the phone with their friend Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy) listening to the older woman’s sex problems. That answer feels off to Christy so she asks her mother if she is planning a surprise birthday party for her. Bonnie admits that their friend Jill (Jaime Pressly) is two months pregnant. Christy is hurt that she was left out of the loop. Bonnie reminds Christy that she was not supportive of Jill’s decision to get pregnant. Bonnie tells Christy that Jill’s baby shower will be at their place so Christy should make sure she is not home. Christy continues to fume about being left out.

Bonnie, Marjorie and Wendy (Beth Hall) are talking in the diner. Marjorie is relieved that Christy finally knows about Jill’s pregnancy because she did not feel comfortable hiding it from her. Bonnie brings up the surprise party and Wendy thinks they should do it. When Christy arrives, Marjorie encourages her to make up with Jill. Christy feels that she has already apologized, but still has reservations about Jill’s capability and readiness to be a mother. Besides, she believes that Jill should apologize for saying that she is a lousy mother. Marjorie says that no matter how Christy feels, she must support Jill’s decision.

At the AA meeting, Jill shares her pregnancy with the group. She is very excited and talks about all the things she wants to do when her daughter is born. After Jill finishes talking Christy says that she is happy for Jill, but Jill ignores her. Later Jill shows her baby’s nursery to Bonnie, Wendy and Marjorie. Jill talks about stork alert, an app that tracks a baby’s growth. She’s on day 54 and her daughter is bigger than a blueberry. When Bonnie invites Jill to Christy’s surprise party, Jill does not want to attend. Marjorie says that Jill should try to make up with Christy, but Jill is unwilling to forgive Christy for what she said.

When Bonnie and Wendy are decorating the house for Christy’s party, Bonnie gets a call from Marjorie. After Christy comes home from work she sees the party decorations, but nobody is there. When she calls her mom, Bonnie tells her that they are at Jill’s house. Jill had a miscarriage.

When Christy arrives, Marjorie tells her that when Jill went for a routine checkup and the doctor could not find the heartbeat. Christy wants to see her, but Bonnie thinks it is a bad idea. When Christy goes to Jill’s room, Jill tells her to go away. When Christy offers her sympathies, Jill says that Christy did not support her decision to have a baby so she wonders if Christy really feels bad for her. Christy tells her that she never wanted this to happen to Jill. Jill yells at her to get out. Bonnie suggests that Christy should go home while she, Wendy and Marjorie stay with Jill. Reluctantly, Christy agrees.

Christy decides to go to a midnight AA meeting. During her share, she realizes that what she told Jill was not the truth, but her own opinion. “I’ve become the obnoxious sober person who tells everybody how to live their life.”

When Bonnie is eating, Jill comes out of her bedroom. Jill regrets telling everyone at the meeting about her pregnancy and does not feel like she will ever be a mom. Jill feels like she is being punished for all the mistakes she made and Bonnie tells her she is wrong. Bonnie tries to get to Jill to see that Christy’s comments to her were not about Jill, but about Bonnie. Bonnie knows that she was a terrible mother to Christy because of her alcoholism and the drugs. Bonnie tells Jill about her past in the foster care system and how horribly she was treated. Bonnie is confident that Jill would be a loving mother. As two share an emotional embrace, Jill is stunned. Jill comments, “When did you become the strong, supportive one?” Bonnie’s answer: “Meat gives me strength.”

The next morning, Jill declines Marjorie’s invitation to have breakfast with everyone. Christy stops by to see Jill and Jill is willing to talk. Christy explains to Jill that she was worried that Jill wanted to have a baby for the wrong reasons. She was worried that Jill was trying to fill the void caused by her mother’s suicide all those years ago with a baby. Christy apologizes for judging Jill’s decisions and for saying that Jill would be a terrible mother and Jill accepts it. When Jill’s baby app beeps, she explains to Christy that today would have been day 57. As she sobs, Christy hugs her.

When Jill meets her friends at the diner, she tells them that her doctor says that she can try to get pregnant again. Christy tells her that she would love another chance to be Jill’s pregnancy partner. Jill tells everyone that Bonnie inspired her to become a foster parent instead. Everyone thinks it is a wonderful idea. Feeling proud that she inspired Jill, Bonnie declares herself the new leader of their group.