Honeymoon with my Mother review: This Spanish comedy is as boring as it is unfunny

1.5/5

Story: José Luís (Quim Gutiérrez), who has paid for an expensive honeymoon, has been left at the altar. So, he decides to go with his mother, and they bicker, blame and understand each other better on their trip. 

Review: There really isn’t much to say about Netflix’s Honeymoon with my Mother. The “comedy” lacks in the story and does not offer any real laughs and just ends up being plain and boring. José Luís has been left at the altar and he decides to take his mother on his honeymoon which has already been paid in full. 

At the resort, they get everything for free, but they just have to pretend to be married and hide the fact that they are related. The one thing that the movie has going for it is that it is set in a rather picturesque tropical island resort in Mauritius. But it is important to be noted that they do not make full use of even the location. There is barely any thought from the makers to utilise this to the fullest. But the island's beauty carries well with whatever little of it is shown. 

The story again, is something that we have come to see time and time again, especially in comedies that are set in tropical island resorts. The two end up going their way and find someone they are attracted to and vibe with. José meets with the island local, who is also an adventure tour guide, like in most movies. His mother, Mari Carmen, finds a freelance photographer, who shows her a good time. 

While all the usual things unfold in front of our eyes, like the romance, the island activities and more, the story wants to focus on the relationship the two share. The mother is overprotective of her adult son, and the son is someone who just wants to get away from his mother. But in true cinema style, they learn about each other and understand their mistakes. The son realises that his mother is the true love of his life. All the bickering, the drama and the “deep” conversations they have towards the end of the movie, is something you feel like you want to skip. 

Relationships can be complicated and it is not out of this world to have a toxic relationship with your mother. But most movies still prefer to overlook this and would rather give it a free pass in the name of love. While there could have been a story to tell and characters to explore given the scenario, Honeymoon with my Mother fails at it. 

There is not much to praise about the movie, and that includes even the acting in it. There is a certain scene where the mother slaps his son when accused of cheating on his father, and the protagonists’ reaction is one of the more bizarre, off-putting ones I have seen. The one time I can say I laughed is the thought of going back to watch it again because it seemed odd and genuinely bland. 

While both of our characters realise more meanings to life and discover the true essence of their relationship, the audience just wants the movie to end so that we could go back to our lives. While the movie in itself is a sub-genre, chances of even the most ardents fans of it liking this movie seems unlikely. The only thing I take back from this movie is hoping one day, I get to go on vacation to Mauritius. 

Verdict: If you have some time to waste, and I actually mean waste, give it a watch. But I doubt anyone would come out of this movie feeling having watched something different or even well-made. Honeymoon with my Mother is just another movie on Netflix that is best left untouched.