Educational Media Reviews Online

Just Mom and Me tells the stories of five different women who are single mothers. The women range in age, ethnic group, circumstances, number of children, socioeconomic status, and careers. The film was made over a period of five years, and covers each woman's story and the circumstances, which led to single motherhood.

The film opens with clips of each woman telling her story, starting from the beginning. Each sequence is preceded by subtitles which provide background information about the individuals. The subtitles make it easier to follow the women's stories, and do not detract from the dialogue. Additionally, the subtitles provide transition between the stages and events in their lives. The film largely consists of each woman telling her story, with no interviewer present or background narration. This allows viewers to more fully focus on the individuals and their stories.

While all the women are very different, they share similar challenges and choices. The stories include issues such as why they wanted to have a child, how they dealt with their choices, the presence/absence of a partner, and the fact that they are raising a child (or children in one case) alone. The events of the women's lives are shown in a progressive fashion, and the film switches between the women's stories and various phases in their lives. The conclusion of the film shows where each woman is currently with her life. The end of the film also includes interviews with their children discussing how they feel about the lack of a father/male presence in their lives.

Just Mom and Me is a realistic portrayal of womanhood and single motherhood, and there are some very emotionally charged moments in the film. It examines the challenges as well as the rewards. The emotions encountered by the women and the decisions they made are shared with viewers in a very personal way. Through telling their stories, the women also engage in self-discovery. This video is well made and deals with a timely topic. It is appropriate for college and university collections. This video is highly recommended for purchase.