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Once Upon My Mother

Once Upon My Mother

Drama · Comedy · 2025

In 1963, Esther gives birth to Roland, the youngest of a large family. Roland is born with a club foot that prevents him from standing. Against everyone's advice, she promises her son that he will walk like the others and that he will have a fabulous life. From then on, Esther will do everything in her power to keep this promise. Through decades of trials and miracles of life, this film is the story of a true, funny and moving story, that of an incredible destiny and the greatest love there is: that of a mother for her child.

Movie details

Once Upon My Mother

2025 Drama · Comedy 1h 42m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.0 / 10

Community rating

In 1963, Esther gives birth to Roland, the youngest of a large family. Roland is born with a club foot that prevents him from standing. Against everyone's advice, she promises her son that he will walk like the others and that he will have a fabulous life. From then on, Esther will do everything in her power to keep this promise. Through decades of trials and miracles of life, this film is the story of a true, funny and moving story, that of an incredible destiny and the greatest love there is: that of a mother for her child.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Once Upon My Mother?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Ken Scott

Written by

Ken Scott

Leïla Bekhti

Leïla Bekhti

Esther Perez

Jonathan Cohen

Jonathan Cohen

Roland Perez (Adult)

Joséphine Japy

Joséphine Japy

Litzie Gozlan

Sylvie Vartan

Sylvie Vartan

Sylvie Vartan

Jeanne Balibar

Jeanne Balibar

Mrs. Fleury

Lionel Dray

Lionel Dray

Maklouf Perez

Anne Le Ny

Anne Le Ny

Mrs. Vergepoche

Court is in session

Put Once Upon My Mother on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.