16 Movies That Shed a Bad Light on Working Moms (PHOTOS)
Work-life balance is not an easy thing to achieve, especially when you're a hardworking mother. We admire moms who have careers in addition to raising families, but Hollywood has not always turned the kindest eye to working moms.
These 16 movies depicted working mothers in a pretty harsh light -- although thankfully, in some cases, the story lines wrapped on a positive note.
Image via Columbia Pictures
I Don't Know How She Does It (2011)
This Sarah Jessica Parker film seems to explore the question of if working women can "have it all" -- but in the process suggests that work-life balance for women is impossible.
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Mary Poppins (1964)
Chances are you may not even realize that there is a mother in this film, but the suffragette mom Mrs. Banks is played by Glynis Johns. While today we may admire her character for getting involved politically, we can't help but wonder if the need for a magical nanny slights Mrs. Banks's own ability to mother.
Freaky Friday (2003)
Therapist mom Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) may have a hard time relating to her daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan) -- but after switching bodies, they begin to see a little more eye-to-eye.
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Postcards From the Edge (1990)
When a mother (Shirley MacLaine) and daughter (Meryl Streep) both have careers as Hollywood actresses, things get oddly competitive, as this film suggests that mothers and daughters can't both be working women.
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How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
As a single mother and successful stockbroker, Stella (Angela Bassett) is persuaded by a friend to go on a fancy vacation in Jamaica. However, an attractive islander who is 20 years younger than her convinces her that she really ought to work less.
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