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Mary and Martha

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Mary and Martha (2013)

April. 20,2013
|
6.8
|
NR
| Drama TV Movie
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Wealthy American housewife Mary Morgan takes her bullied son George out of school for home education,including a trip to Southern Africa. Whilst in Mozambique George is bitten by a mosquito which crawls through a hole in his net and dies of malaria. After his funeral at home Mary feels a compulsion to return to Africa where she meets English woman Martha O'Connell,whose 24 year old son Ben, a teacher with voluntary service overseas,has also died of malaria. Ben gave his net to one of his pupils,believing adults cannot catch malaria. The two women are shocked to see the high death rate caused by the disease and,whilst Martha stays in Africa as a voluntary helper,Mary petitions the American government to change things. Martha turns up at Mary's house unannounced and,helped by Mary's ex-diplomat father,they address a senate committee on health spending,persuading them to do more to combat malaria. They meet with some success though a coda states that much more can be done.

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Reviews

JinRoz
2013/04/20

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

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TrueHello
2013/04/21

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.

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Kien Navarro
2013/04/22

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

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Philippa
2013/04/23

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

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kosmasp
2013/04/24

If people say and tell you this is inspiring, they are not wrong. Based on real events, this is really gripping and without knowing where this was heading (hadn't read anything about it, before I watched it), I really was surprised after about 30 minutes into the film. After that it was kind of obvious where it would go, but the acting and the telling of the story is really good.Not to mention the central performances. Even if towards the end you get a bit of a "cliche" speech, you'd have to have a heart of stone, not to be touched by it at all. You could also argue about the husband and what he decides to do and how things get "solved", but after all that happened, it seems to be a suiting ending to it all

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I Putu Dhika Dhananjaya (Dhka)
2013/04/25

I don't like when George said he didn't like Mandela T-Shirt. Mandela T-shirt is from Indonesia, one of world heritage. We should respect it. The script should edited. The part which vote didier drogba more popular than Mandela is very terrible.. Good scene in Africa and good adventure. Mary and Martha tell us something to do more for world. About bullying, the film didn't explain more. The part when Martha losing his son didn't tell to us clearly.. Why Mary didn't bring George to nearest hospital? if she bring to the nearest hospital, George will survived. Her husband is very wise, he can understand and try to keep his wife calm.. i like this movie, bring inspiration to us.. how malaria can kill many people. overall good stories.

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ljsd
2013/04/26

First...NO WESTERNER would EVER leave their respective countries to travel to anywhere in Africa without Malaria medication in the 21st century--especially a child. The scenario that the writer and director presented was false. Plus, one does not get the symptoms of Malaria two days after they have been bit by a mosquito. Second...why do we need to showcase two white people who lives have been turned upside down because of malaria to make people realize that the African people are neglected? Why couldn't the story be a black teacher who may be a "professional" makes very little money that he even can't pay for medical care for his wife who has malaria? This would be more meaningful and more true. When I was in Africa, I met a teacher who could not come to work because his wife was sick with Malaria. Hence...he could not come in to teach because he needed to take care of his sick wife and could not earn his salary because he had to be home. Regardless of how ridiculous I thought the premise of the story is, African people need help. They are so impoverished and have very little to be able to take care of their families. We send aid over to many African countries and the money is sucked up by corrupt politicians and top business leaders, leaving next to nothing for the people. If the African people receive 1 percent of the money we give the government for programs, I would say they would be lucky.

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dalydj-918-255175
2013/04/27

This story of mothers fighting for a cause is both inspiring and informing the audience on the real problems that face out current world whether we are aware of them. Mary (Hilary Swank) brings her son to Africa at the same time as Martha's (Brenda Blethyn) son Ben comes to be a teacher to young kids in the country. Both women lose their sons to Malaria and when Mary comes back after the lose she meets Martha and the women come together while in different continents to bring more help to the issues of Malaria in the world. The story was inspiring especially when seeing this women be in great grief but trying to fight to make a difference especially the character of Mary who really was the main character of the film and when the scenes were showed of her son dying of the terrible it very emotional in both how it was directing, written and acted by Hilary Swank. Hilary Swank is a great film actress but lately she has seem to have taken a break from any film worthy of her talents but with her role as Mary I believe it may be a return to form. From her reaction to her son George's death to her final speech in front of some government people. Throughout she is asked to not show her emotions even when she addresses it at the funeral of her son where she does not cry. Brenda Blethyn plays Martha and she is just as impressive as Swank while she appears in less of the movie. Her emotions are all over her face and it was very well played by Blethyn. The film was strong written, directed and acted by it's stars Swank and Blethyn that it was a great movie.MOVIE GRADE: B+ (MVP: Hilary Swank)

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