'Moms' Night Out' Is a Love Letter to 'Mommas' Featuring a Non-Judgmental God
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – It's hard to judge a love letter to mothers harshly, and thanks to a team of writers, actors, directors, and producers committed to excellence, there's no reason to do so for the film Moms' Night Out, opening in theaters this weekend.
At the Hollywood red carpet premiere, lead actress Sarah Drew told the press that she believes moviegoers will walk away from the film, which makes its public debut on Mother's Day weekend, knowing that they've seen "a love letter to mammas."
"That's my hope, that's my greatest wish," she said. "I want moms to walk out of the theaters feeling like the super heroes that they are. And they are going to see the beautiful and chaotic mess of what parenthood is."
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After hearing Drew's answer, lead actor Sean Astin said there wasn't much to add except that the movie is "an unapologetic look at middle-class life" and also portrays "the external manifestation of the anxieties and the problems that we feel."
He added that the movie is "sort of saying you don't have to apologize for what you are feeling. Our identities are sacred and we should fight for them."
This hysterically funny, brilliantly acted, and touching movie has already touched the hearts of moms through film trailers and screenings shown in key areas of the country. Because of the film's realistic and touching portrayal of a mom who hits an emotional wall from the stress of juggling all her tasks, and decides it's time to gather her friends for a refreshment break, mothers are starting blogs, forming groups, and mobilizing. They are getting serious (and having fun) about being unashamed of their important role in society and the family.
Those worrying about whether Moms' Night Out is a "Christian movie" need not worry. God plays a major part and it's up to the viewer (believer or non-believer) as to how the movie's message is received. Be forewarned, the consensus by those who have seen the movie at pre-release screenings say it's impossible not to be uplifted after watching.
When asked about the movie's message the day after the red carpet premiere, actress Sammi Hanratty said, "God loves you no matter what. No matter what you believe in, no matter what's going on in your life, no matter how you feel about yourself, you are still going to be loved by God. I love that even if you don't have a faith you can still walk away with this good feeling about yourself."
Actress Andrea Logan White, who plays Izzy, was asked by The Christian Post how the filmmakers may have decided on "how much God" to put in the movie (which by the way I believe was done seamlessly). She said she was not part of the process of "how much and how little" of the faith elements were kept in.
"It was more so of the studio's say. But for me, I'm a loyal believer. I grew up most of my life not a Christian, so I'm not ashamed to say that I am a Christian and I would be nowhere, and I would not be here, if it wasn't for my relationship with God," White said. "The most important thing is that not everybody wants to walk into church, that might not be their thing, but everybody wants to be entertained. Everybody wants to go see a movie. I think we can reach the masses with the beautiful message and not have to hit everybody over the head [with the Bible]."
She adds, "I think you feel God's love whether you are a believer or not a believer. I don't know how you could not walk out of the film inspired."
Abbie Cobb, who plays the young mother whose baby is missing during the evening out, said she is tired of people thinking that "really clean faith-based movies or family-friendly movies are not good" or don't have good quality.
"I want to tell stories that are important and I want to do it in an excellent way," Cobb said during the press event in Hollywood. "I want to honor what I believe in and use the talent that I've been given and be excellent at it. This is finally a film where the quality is high all the way around and it's excellent. The actors are fantastic. The writing is spot on. The characters are sound and they are relatable, and the story is fun. I'm proud to be a part of something faith-based or not, secular or not, that tells a story that I care about."
