Young Mothers Review
With their latest feature, Young Mothers, the Dardenne Brothers once again demonstrate their trademark empathy and gentle eye for social realism. The film follows an ensemble cast of four young women as they navigate the early, precarious stages of motherhood; each one learning to cope with scarred pasts and troubled relationships, which shape their attempts to tackle the unique experience of motherhood.
Set in the Dardenne’s native Liège, the film’s central hub is a communal support shelter for new and expectant mothers, which is presented as a place of temporary refuge. Under the supervision of dedicated social workers, the young women are supported as they learn the basics of parenting and self-sufficiency: cooking schedules, bath times, bonding, and responsibility. Beyond these basics, the shelter offers a vital sense of safety and routine. Here, the women receive therapy, pursue education, begin vocational training, and take cautious steps toward independent living. More than just a support system, the shelter becomes a space of transition—one removed from the chaos of their pasts, where each woman must decide whether to embrace the responsibilities of motherhood or make the painful choice to place her child in foster care.
The film follows four central characters, each facing motherhood under vastly different but equally fraught circumstances. Julie (Elsa Houben), a recovering addict, is making plans to move into her own place and marry the father of her child. But as the reality of independence sets in, she begins to spiral, overwhelmed by the pressure and the looming threat of relapse. Perla (Lucie Laruelle) struggles with a volatile partner and a history of alcoholism. She longs to settle down and “play house” with her boyfriend, but finds herself unable to convince or manipulate him into being present for her or their baby. Jessica (Babette Verbeek), who is still pregnant, becomes fixated on reconnecting with her own birth mother, who gave her up for adoption. As her due date nears, she hopes to prove that, despite her young age, she is capable of providing the care and stability she never received herself.
Perhaps the most compelling character in the ensemble is Ariane (Janaïna Halloy Fokan), who plans to place her infant daughter, Lili, into foster care as an attempt to shield her from the poverty and hardship that marked her own childhood. Her decision ignites conflict with her mother, whose response is both furious and violent. Seeing Lili as a second chance at motherhood. Having previously refused to support Ariane’s request for an abortion, Ariane’s mother insists on raising the child herself.. She imagines a future where Ariane returns to school while she assumes care of the baby, conveniently overlooking her own alcoholism and an abusive boyfriend. When Ariane pushes back, her mother dismisses her pain, coldly remarking, “He hit me more than he hit you.”
The Dardenne Brothers lovingly interweave each young woman’s story, crafting a tender, emotionally layered portrait of the complexity of motherhood for young women. Rather than relying on one through-line narrative, the film is built from vivid, intimate moments, some joyful, others quietly devastating. In scenes of connection, like when Julie slips her hands into her boyfriend’s pockets to keep warm, or when Lili flashes a wide smile at Ariane as she’s buckling her into her car seat, we’re reminded of how fluently the Dardennes speak the language of cinema. In the understated moments of everyday life, their filmmaking conveys so much warmth and emotion.
In contrast, the emotionally volatile moments of the film, like Perla’s argument with her sister about their conflicting experiences of their mother, or how Ariane trembles in fear at the sound of her mother’s boyfriend’s voice, remind us of the seriousness of the Dardenne’s subject matter. The girls on screen, in their pursuit of parenthood, often seem older than their years. However, in the Dardenne’s emotionally charged dialogue and well-crafted moments of distress, we see the mothers for what they are: children themselves. Young Mothers calls into question all of the issues raging around motherhood—abortion, adoption, poverty and abuse—showing us the real people at the centre of them. The film quietly engages these larger debates, not by offering answers or pushing an agenda, but by grounding these issues in lived experience.
Originally, the Dardenne Brothers had planned to focus solely on the character of Jessica, but after visiting a real-life shelter for young mothers during their research, they were deeply moved by the range of stories and the many young women passing through the space. This experience inspired them to shift their approach and create an ensemble narrative that drifts fluidly between characters. Although the shifting narrative makes the story feel somewhat less focused than their previous films, their approach succeeds in capturing a broad and nuanced portrait of young motherhood.
★★★★
In cinemas August 29th / Lucie Laruelle, Babette Verbeek, Janaïna Halloy Fokan, Elsa Houben / Dir: Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne / Curzon / 12A
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