On Saturday I went with eleven other women to see the movie Mom's Night Out and I loved it. I laughed until my eyes were misted over with tears. And, okay, yes. It was incredibly far-fetched but most comedies are. I mean take, for example, my most favorite movie of ALL THE TIMES OF EVER, Father of the Bride. (Not the old, old one, but the old one from the early nineties.) Who would actually employ that wedding coordinator? What self-respecting father would pull a decades old tux out of storage with the intent to wear it to his daughter's wedding? What daughter wouldn't FIND HER FATHER AND DANCE WITH HIM AT THE WEDDING HE IS PAYING FOR? Comedies force us to suspend large quantities of disbelief on a regular basis.
The critics are raging. How dare we allow faith-based films? How dare any self-respecting woman desire to stay at home with her children? Obviously, we are giving our money to Christian propaganda that does nothing but support the subjugation of women.
I'm getting sick and tired of fighting against the belief that if a women chooses to stay home with her children, she's an idiot. Some women work because they want to. Some work because they have to. Some stay home with their kids. Why is it that we continue to cat fight about which one is better? We make sacrifices so that I can be home--it's a choice we've made. My husband and I. Together. I'm sick of the world weighing in on it, making me feel like I am somehow less of a woman--somehow a detrimental plague on society--because I'm home raising my boys.
And so, let me tell you what I think. I think it was wonderful to see a group of women who represented me--a stay-at-home mom with little kids who feels like she's messing up everything she touches. Not to mention the portrayal of a pastor's wife. Although, for the most part, Sondra really had it together and kind of made me feel overly inadequate. Take, for example, her opening scene. She's running around, doing eighteen different things, holding the entire church together, remembering people's birthdays and giving everyone she sees a personal little message to make them feel included and welcome. I think I actually shrunk down in my chair thinking, "I am not a good pastor's wife. I am not a good pastor's wife." On Sunday morning I can only be seen doing two or three things at once and I forget people's birthdays like you wouldn't believe. At least I don't have a Donnie Osmond tattoo (which is very good because that would be so incredibly weird and...retro but not in a good way). Anyway. My point is, it's important for all people to feel like they're represented in art. Not just the people who's agenda the critics are trying to push.
What I'm trying to say is that it's a great movie. It represents a lot of women I know. It's funny and touching and relevant. And, also, it stars my new secret best friend. (I'm even choosing to overlook the fact she kisses Jesse Williams on TV.)
If you're a stay-at-home mom, have ever been a stay-at-home mom, have ever considered being a stay-at-home mom, or have a friend who's a stay-at-home mom, go see this movie. Forget what the critics say. I read a bad review of this film by a critic who gave a great review to Hangover 3. I just feel like, if there can be not one, and not two, but three movies with the title Hangover, there can be one movie about some church-going moms having a night out.
But then I'm a mostly conservative, church-going, pretty-much-stay-at-home mom myself so, clearly, I'm a completely stupid moron who's never had an original thought. Forget the fact that I'm college educated because I attended a small faith-based university. According to the secular world, that probably doesn't even count.
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