Shirley Maclaine, one of my favorites, has played different mothers, but the one I liked best was in Terms of Endearment.
The mom in
Terms of Endearment was very controversial among movie critics at the time, but I think that's what made it such a great film. Interesting characters.
The other thing - there really are mothers & daughters who talk and argue with each other on the phone, in person, or by text a lot. They called each other every day, so often that Flap resented it. (That's a warning sign right there - if your significant other resents that you have a best friend, maybe think twice about him.) Not just talking, but also disputes. The disputes were relatively healthy because both parties aired their grievances. Neither side was trying to dominate, manipulate or control one another.
E.g. did Aurora want Emma to marry Flap? Not really, but she accepted it. Then did she want her daughter to move off with her grandkids to Nebraska? No! Not at all, but she accepted it.
The other thing, when Emma was dying, without hesitation, without anyone having to ask her, she was there 24/7 and wanted to take in the three kids. Without hesitation, no questions asked, taking on raising three kids in her 50s or 60s. We can argue that Flap should have done it, but he didn't even fight for the chance. He really wanted to be free - free to date, which he did not do much of as a young man because he married so young. Aurora called it. She could see him for what he really still was.
IDK what the writer was trying to say in those characters, but having a family requires a great deal of commitment - not just warm feelings we see in every romantic comedy. When life hits the fan, who is committed to you? Who can you count on? Those are your family, IMO. Flap was committed to Flap, IMO, not so much to Emma and the kids. Others might see them differently, but that's how I see them.
