The Second Mother
A devoted São Paulo housekeeper confronts the class boundaries of the family she serves when her candid daughter arrives to pursue a better future.
Overview
A poignant exploration of motherhood and class divides in contemporary Brazil.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- intimate
- witty
- sincere
- reflective evening
- international cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the compelling characters, thought-provoking class-conscious story, and talented performances, especially Regina Casé and Camila Márdila.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The São Paulo home’s rooms, pool, kitchen, and service areas organize the unequal relationships between Val, her employers, and Jéssica.
Val has spent 13 years working as a nanny while her daughter Jéssica is raised by relatives in Pernambuco.
Jéssica’s frankness unsettles the family’s assumptions about servants, guests, education, and belonging.
Val’s long-term nanny and housekeeper role places care, dependence, and class privilege at the center of everyday family life.
Films like The Second Mother, and why
Roma
shared focus on domestic labor, class division, maternal bonds, and quietly confrontational social realism
Central Station
shared Brazilian setting, intimate family drama, class inequality, and emotionally restrained character observation
The Maid
shared themes of domestic service, social hierarchy, female solidarity, and understated humanist drama
Shoplifters
shared warm but incisive examination of parent child relationships and economic inequality through a strong female protagonist
Movie Details
- Director
- Anna Muylaert
- Release Date
- 2015-06-04
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Rating
- 8.0 / 10 (799)
Cast
- Regina Casé
- Camila Márdila
- Karine Teles
- Lourenço Mutarelli
- Michel Joelsas
- Helena Albergaria
- Bete Dorgam
- Luis Miranda
- Theo Werneck
- Luci Pereira
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- OVID
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Second Mother about?
- A devoted São Paulo housekeeper confronts the class boundaries of the family she serves when her candid daughter arrives to pursue a better future.
- What is The Second Mother like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Second Mother as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Second Mother violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Second Mother.
- What did critics think of The Second Mother?
- Critics broadly praised the compelling characters, thought-provoking class-conscious story, and talented performances, especially Regina Casé and Camila Márdila.
- Which films are like The Second Mother?
- Films with a similar feel include Roma, Central Station, The Maid, and Shoplifters.
- How long is The Second Mother?
- The Second Mother runs 112 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Second Mother?
- In United States, The Second Mother streams on OVID.
