Mother's Day 'Transcendent' in Its Awfulness

(Newser) – Mother's Day has plenty of big names—Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, Kate Hudson, director Garry Marshall—along with one big problem: It's a really bad movie. That sentiment is near unanimous among critics, as evidenced by the 7% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Here's a sample, including one that kindly finds a silver lining:

• Adam Graham, Detroit News: It's "not a tribute to mothers. It’s an insult to everyone."
• Jordan Hoffman, the Guardian: "One can’t deny, however, that this sort of badness—this transcendent, almost unearthly badness—isn’t oddly comforting. ... Mother’s Day is garbage, but it’s a wholesome type of garbage they just don’t make anymore."

• Jody Mitori, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "These characters are so paper-thin it’s surprising they even have names. They live in the Land of Beautiful Kitchens, where mothers work out a lot and seem to have half-hour work days."
• Jesse Hassenger, AV Club: "Aniston is bad here, but she’s not alone. Marshall allows everyone in the movie to either play to their worst instincts or avert their eyes while skipping through the wreckage."
• Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: "Is there a cliché in this script that Marshall hasn't unearthed? I'd say find out for yourself. But I wouldn't be that mean to anyone on Mother's Day."

(Read more movie review stories.)