Imagine going on a honeymoon with your mother. It would be devastating, no doubt, but exciting as hell too. A new film in town, Honeymoon With My Mother, promises to throw light on the subject. Whether it succeeds or not is another thing to consider.

Before getting into a detailed analysis, allow me to summarize my review for people in a rush.

Honeymoon With My Mother Review Summary

This Netflix flick starts on a high note, with every element of the plot falling in the right place. But as the story progresses, Honeymoon With My Mother sinks to lower levels. It does have several positives but is not void of issues as well.

You can surely give it a go considering its short duration but don’t expect much in terms of exhilaration and fun. Keep reading my Honeymoon With My Mother review to learn what works and what doesn’t for the movie.

Also Read: Heartstopper Netflix Series: Best Moments from the Show (PART 1)

Honeymoon With My Mother Synopsis

Directed by Paco Caballero, Honeymoon With My Mother is a Spanish comedy-drama that stars Carmen Machi (Mari Carmen) and Quim Gutierrez (Jose Luis) in lead roles. The supporting cast of the film includes Justina Bustos (Sara), Yolanda Ramos (Montse), and Dominique Guillo (Armando), among others.

The story of Honeymoon With My Mother revolves around Jose Luis, who gets dumped at the altar. Just when he and his ‘to-be’ wife are about to finalize their wedding, the latter’s lover comes banging on the marriage premises and runs away with the bride.

However, Luis had already booked an exotic honeymoon, the amount of which is non-refundable. So, what should he do in such a case? Well, he goes on a honeymoon with his mother, Mari Carmen.

What works for Honeymoon With My Mother?

Even the movies or shows that are not up to the mark as a whole carry several positives. I feel we should look at the good things in equal measure even as we do with the things that didn’t work.

Grandeur

From the first few scenes of marriage to the honeymoon destination, one thing that is common throughout the movie is magnificence. You would love the hotel, the beaches, parties, the beautiful seas, and Mauritius’s local markets. They are all a visual treat to the eye.

Short run time

Thankfully, Honeymoon With My Mother has a decent length. Even a fifteen-minute addition would not have been encouraging. Since the movie falls in the comedy genre, which doesn’t quite hit the right chord in the second half, it would have fallen flat sooner or later.

Performances

Quim Gutirrez does a fantabulous job as Jose Luis. His part was more of a restricted individual with certain limitations, unlike the macho studs we see in films. Moreover, the actor brings along an intrinsic style quotient, adding more to the already lavish locations.

Playing Quim’s onscreen mother, Carmen Machi, expressively uses her expressions to make this a fun ride. The first half of Honeymoon With My Mother belongs entirely to her comic timing. Though things get a tad emotional for her as the story progresses, Machi doesn’t hold back from throwing cryptic one-liners.

The endearing Justina Bustos plays Sara and leaves nothing in her capacity to overwhelm you with love. Though she leads the tourists on the island, beware of her leading your heart towards the end.

Dominique Guillo as Armanda is so enchanting and intricate in his small role that you wish he was there for some more time. Interestingly, Guillo looks highly familiar to India’s Adil Hussain.

Concept

Honeymoon With My Mother comes with a stirring concept. I cannot even imagine someone going on a honeymoon with their mother, but the makers put the idea into action. They almost got it right until the second half of the movie.

What Doesn’t Work for Honeymoon With My Mother?

The Plot

When you have a rousing idea or a clickbait title, the only other thing you need is a crisp and tight plot. Usually, a comedy film is not judged by the audience based on logic; they just want to be entertained to the core. However, Honeymoon With My Mother doesn’t come good on that front.

There are good jokes, sarcasm, and funny one-liners; however, it all dies down sooner or later. Things become lame and boring just when you expect them to rise. A different plot may have done justice to the concept.

Climax

Generally, a climax isn’t really a thing for comic films, and as I said earlier, people just want to laugh their hearts out. However, when you decide to have one, you need to ensure it doesn’t look like a cliché. Honeymoon With My Mother has a poorly crafted high-point that leads to nowhere.

It is something you’d have already guessed and thought, ‘come on, it’s too easy for a climax in a 2022 movie.’ I wish that point in Honeymoon With My Mother never existed. I was happy with the simple, heartfelt ending that followed.

Gets Monotonous After a point

So, you have an intriguing idea at hand; now what? All that the makers needed was a story to complement the narrative. But what we get to witness is the consistent repetition of a guy going on a honeymoon with his mother.

When you keep screaming about the idea, the narrative becomes absurdly monotonous. If you want people to focus on the concept, you must defocus them from it first.

Execution

I don’t know if you have read my The 7 Lives of Lea review, where I mentioned how the makers execute a superficial idea to perfection. For Honeymoon With My Mother, things are in striking contrast. The idea is there, but the execution is below potential.

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