Stepmom
Stepmom
PG-13 | 25 December 1998 (USA)
Watch Now on Starz

Watch with Subscription, Cancel anytime

Watch Now
Stepmom Trailers View All

Jackie is a divorced mother of two. Isabel is the career minded girlfriend of Jackie’s ex-husband Luke, forced into the role of unwelcome stepmother to their children. But when Jackie discovers she is ill, both women realise they must put aside their differences to find a common ground and celebrate life to the fullest, while they have the chance.

Reviews
MoPoshy

Absolutely brilliant

WillSushyMedia

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

View More
TrueHello

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

View More
Humaira Grant

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

View More
eric262003

"Stepmom" tells the dramatic and forceful tear-laden film in which a New York City advertising photographer named Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts) has recently been engaged to the much older and recently divorced attorney name Luke Harrison (Ed Harris). Although he is divorced from his ex-wife, Jackie(Susan Sarandon), she still has legal rights to visit her kids, the rebellious Anna (Jena Malone) and the bratty younger son Ben (Liam Aiken). At first glance, we take our sympathies towards Isabel who's trying so hard to win the approval with the rather difficult and exasperating kids and that Jackie seems quite judgemental over Luke's choice of a new fiancé because she's not from the same class system as her. But as the film progresses, we find ourselves taking pity over Jackie who in spite of her obnoxious character and her overbearing poisonous tongue, we discover that she has terminal cancer. Meanwhile the kids seem to adapt to similar behaviour patterns, and Luke just goes on what needs to be done without saying very much. In spite of the ensemble of talented performers, "Stepmom" was cursed by a mundane script and forceful attempt to get the entire audience in tears. The box office success was quite mediocre at best as Susan Sarandon was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance. I was quite surprised that the Academy Awards neglected this film, since their mindsets are based on films that provide emotional backdrops from the characters. To me in my estimation the demographics of people who'll look up to this movie are likely upper middle-class women in the 30-40 year old age group. Perhaps the Anna Harrison character might attract the adolescent girl demographics especially those who have a divorced or deceased parent and are struggling with adapting to their new parent. The middle-aged parents who are sadly diagnosed with a terminal illness might also find the story intriguing and might have a better understanding of the physical and emotional stages they're going through let alone the hardships of those surrounding them. I might sound like an insensitive jerk, but I really did not feel at ease watching this movie. The acting and the cinematography were the best things going for this movie,but there was a lump in my throat after the final credits rolled. I really thought director Chris Columbus did too much manipulative tactics to force us into one tear-fest after another. The representing of the tear-factor shed very little impact plus there were many scenes that made me feel very uncomfortable. If you thought "Stepmom" was a feel-good movie, what were you thinking? When Isabel learns that Anna's had a nasty break-up with her discourteous boyfriend Brad Kovitsky (Jason Maves), she encourages Anna to inflict verbal abuse towards him by calling him names like limp-dick, while Ben is can be seen giggling at every word that's said. Gee, I thought adults discouraged kids to call others names, not encourage them. Sure Brad may have deserved that, but adults should know better that it's not appropriate behaviour. I was also taken aback by the rich, posh multi-million dollar estate that Jackie was residing in and clichéd of course was the fact that it came with a horse and a horse trail.It made me ponder at just how did a nice charming New York City fashion photographer like Isabel Kelly would ever get romantically involved with a much older, mundane guy like Luke and having to put up with two quite incorrigible children who clearly hate her for the sake of her existence. I also couldn't believe my eyes during the scenes at the school play where all the kids were dressed in perfect Hollywood style costumes and each and every one of their voices sound purely angelic. Didn't they have at least one kid who felt awkward or uncomfortable? That would have been believable. What's also strange was that Anna was six years older than Ben. How the hell are they in the same play? Shouldn't they be in different schools? Okay so maybe the scriptwriter may know the classic song of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, but it makes me wonder how did Anna and Ben seem to know this song quite flawlessly? They were born in 1986 and 1991 respectively several years before this song was ever released. The other thing that bugs me was that the connection they had with this song serves as the unity between them. It also sickens me that they play this song on three occasions. Gaye and Terrell had other songs that weren't about going through get lengths to unite with one another.One a plus note I'm really impressed with the resiliency towards Isabel. I mean surviving through all the ordeals between this very hateful family, deserves a standing ovation. She standing up to the materialistic Jackie and her obnoxious step-daughter without the desires to strangle either one deserves my praises.Overall this is not a horrible film, though I can't really recommend it due to the hateful characters, the uncomfortable atmosphere and the details that make me cringe. We should feel sorry about someone dying, but we can't embody pity because of the venom that comes out of the victim's mouth. I would steer clear from this one.

View More
mark.waltz

Grab a box of Kleenex, a bag of popcorn and a sweetheart to share the tears with in this coming together of two women who would otherwise despise each other. They are the ex-wife and girlfriend of a busy dad who must learn to co-exist when potential tragedy arises. Oscar winners Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts both shine in this more recent variation of "Terms of Endearment", "Steel Magnolias" and "Beaches" where women end competition for the greater good. Sarandon is a force of nature as she goes from resentful of her ex's fiancée to confiding when a potentially fatal disease strikes, making it necessary to prepare her two children for the possibility that they will have to go on with future step-mom Roberts. The kids have understandably conflicting feelings and even when the teen daughter gets bratty, you empathize with her. Watching these two remarkable suddenly become pals is touching and rewarding, and scenes of New York in the fall and winter are beautiful. Roberts underplays her part, instilling her character with understanding and integrity, even humor. In an era where women seem intent on allowing themselves to be presented in a less nurturing light and allow the media to focus on mainly negative aspects, it is films like this which truly remind us of the qualities that make women great and give us the chance to celebrate their true strengths which do not have to result in a cat fight on a TV reality show.

View More
evanston_dad

1998 gave audiences two major moms dying pictures, one of them "One True Thing" with Meryl Streep and Renee Zellweger and the other "Stepmom." Chris Columbus directed this. There, that's all you need to know. Filmed like a T.V. sitcom but with the content of a Hallmark movie, it's paint by numbers film-making that works overtime trying to wrench tears from its audience. That it does is only because it's about a subject that would make anyone with a half-way functioning heart cry, not because of any skill on Columbus's part.Julia Roberts and especially Susan Sarandon do a fair job of keeping the overly-abundant sentimentality at bay, but they have to fight Columbus every step of the way.Grade: C+

View More
namashi_1

Chris Columbus directed 'Stepmom' is a winner all the way... a true 1998 Classic! The film is highly entertaining, in fact there is hardly a moment when you feel bored in this 123 minute-film. Columbus has made superb films, and 'Stepmom' ranks as his best.The film has a beautiful story, a story about a divorced couple, their children and the Stepmom. The film explains the worth of a family... it surely leaves a great moral behind. The climax is superb, it gets you moist-eyed.Performance-wise: Ed Harris is Incredible, as ever. He steals the show in a small, but significant role. Julia Roberts is fantastic as the Stepmom. Susan Sarandon needs to mentioning, she's a class apart. Liam Aiken & Jena Malone, the kids, stand out.On the whole 'Stepmom' is a must watch for each and every cine-lover.

View More