Who knew motherhood was all laughs, f-bombs
Motherhood is f---ing hard work.
That is the general premise of Bad Moms and it’s a message sure to resonate with overworked and underappreciated women everywhere.
But rather than dwell on the obvious — yep, motherhood really is a tough and largely thankless job — writer/directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore deliver an expletive-laden, ribald comedy that is both silly fun and unexpectedly rewarding.
Mila Kunis plays Amy, a working mom with two demanding kids and a cybercheating dolt of a husband.
She forms an unlikely alliance with kindred spirits Kiki, a mother of four with an overbearing mate, and Carla, a single mom with a bad attitude (which comes in handy).
Amy finds herself in the crosshairs of PTA president Gwendolyn, a control freak so pretentious and annoying she names her kids Gandhi and Blair.
When Gwendolyn gets Amy’s soccer-loving daughter benched, the battle is joined.
It doesn’t get a whole lot deeper than that.
Kunis is a warm and appealing protagonist while Christina Applegate is the epitome of chilly, ruthless hauteur in the role of Gwendolyn.
But it’s Kathryn Hahn as Carla who gets the biggest laughs with her devil-may-care attitude.
Lucas and Moore, who co-wrote The Hangover (2009), have a knack for good dialogue and raucous antics.
It’s a bit of a puzzle why they chose to use so much profanity.
But don’t let a whole lot of cussing deter you from enjoying a comedy that’s bound to have broad appeal, especially to beleaguered mothers.