Here’s a bold statement: Young Mothers is not just a film—it’s a raw, unfiltered exploration of the complexities of motherhood that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about unconditional love. But here’s where it gets controversial: does it truly capture the depth of its characters, or does it sacrifice individuality for thematic breadth? Let’s dive in.
Since their transition to narrative filmmaking in the late 1980s, Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have carved out a niche as masters of humanist storytelling. Their films, such as Two Days, One Night, The Son, and La Promesse, are rooted in their documentary origins, employing a wandering camera that follows characters with an intimacy that serves the story above all else. In Young Mothers, their latest work, the Dardennes turn their lens on a group of women at various stages of motherhood, all living together in a purpose-built center. The result is a tapestry of painful yet profoundly human stories, each examining the multifaceted nature of the bond between mother and child—what society expects it to be, what it truly is, and how it evolves in unexpected ways.
The film’s narrative is split across four main characters, each grappling with her own challenges: Ariane (JanaÏna Halloy Fokan) debates giving her daughter up for adoption; Jessica (Babette Verbeek), weeks away from giving birth, desperately seeks to reconnect with her estranged birth mother; Julie (Elsa Houben), a recovering addict, fights to secure a home for herself and her child; and Perla (Lucie Laruelle) clings to a distant boyfriend out of fear of becoming a single mother. These stories collectively showcase the Dardennes’ ability to craft simple yet deeply resonant characters driven by recognizable fears and desires.
One of the most striking aspects of the film is its visual language. The Dardennes center each woman in the frame, relegating their boyfriends and families to the margins. For instance, when Perla’s boyfriend storms away in anger, the camera lingers not on his outburst but on Perla’s heartbroken expression. Men may drift in and out of the narrative, but it’s the women who anchor the story, their care and resilience standing in stark contrast to the harsh, concrete grey of their urban environment. The attendants of the center and the protagonists’ fellow mothers add layers of warmth, creating pockets of gentleness amidst the struggle.
A particularly revealing scene involves Jessica, who, after giving birth, feels an unexpected distance from her newborn. She gazes at her daughter’s reflection in the bathroom mirror, confessing, ‘I was so excited to hold you against me. I feel nothing.’ The camera then follows her as she silently puts her baby to bed before collapsing into tears, her head buried in her bedsheets. Ariane approaches, offering quiet reassurance, her body language speaking volumes as she leans toward Jessica. Both characters remain faceless, their identities defined solely by their physical connection—a powerful visual metaphor for the film’s theme of interconnectedness.
Moments like these are scattered throughout Young Mothers, reinforcing the Dardennes’ signature style: a disarming empathy that permeates every frame. This sensitivity carries through to the film’s conclusion, which follows the characters through foster care, marriage, and relapse. While the decision to focus on four main characters allows the film to explore diverse facets of motherhood, it also means that each woman feels more like a vessel for a theme than a fully realized individual. This choice makes Young Mothers a slightly lesser work in the Dardennes’ filmography, yet there’s something profoundly enriching about its pared-down approach. Even in its more superficial moments, the film underscores a powerful truth: there’s nothing more cinematic than watching complicated people navigate difficult circumstances.
Controversial Question: Does Young Mothers succeed in balancing its thematic ambition with character depth, or does it sacrifice individuality for the sake of its message? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a conversation!
Young Mothers
Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Writer: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Starring: JanaÏna Halloy Fokan, Babette Verbeek, Elsa Houben, Lucie Laruelle
Release Date: January 9, 2026
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