REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD SEE ‘BAD MOMS’ THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING A MOM

I was incredibly opposed to the movie “Bad Moms” when the trailer first hit. While I’m clearly not a mom myself (and let’s just consider that the main edict throughout this post), I sort of resented the idea that a woman who shoved responsibility aside to have a great time with friends and treat herself was “bad.” The trailer left me feeling like this was another misogynistic faux female-driven movie.

It also left a sour taste in my mouth when, on the day of another tragic shooting, several mom bloggers were tweeting up a storm about the film without any regard for current events. They were interviewing the cast, which was no doubt exciting, but it was really gross to see “OMG! Mila Kunis is totally gorgeous!” in my Twitter feed right underneath “More police dead. This world needs change. #BlackLivesMatter.”

Anyway, I wasn’t going to see it. But I really like Kathryn Hahn and think she’s underrated. Then someone in my office told me I really needed to see it — mostly because of her — and I found myself with a Saturday evening free and a willing friends to join me.  Off I went.

Mea culpa. I was too quick to judge. I was completely wrong. “Bad Moms” RULES.  The theater was 95% mothers (the irony of about two dozen of them rushing in during the opening credits was not lost on me), and there my friend and I were, loving this movie not as moms but as women. You should see this movie. Mom or not. Here are some of the reasons why.

1. Kathryn Hahn.

Yes, she is really, really funny in this. I think Kathryn Hahn may have a shot at Judy Greer’s title of “Best ‘that girl you know from that thing’.” Check out her IMDB page if you don’t know what else you’ve seen her in. Her performance in this film is also FEARLESS. I hope it does not go un-appreciated.

(For those of you who have also seen the movie, let me also just say I have no idea how Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell kept a straight face during any scene with her — especially the “penis” demonstration. I clutched my stomach and wiped away tears from laughing so hard during that scene.)

2. Mom-fantasy.

There is this great moment in “Bad Moms” where the ladies are sitting around a table discussing their greatest “mom fantasies.” Like having breakfast in a quiet room alone. Or having a car accident that is not so terrible to cause anyone harm, but traumatic enough to afford one mom an opportunity to sleep in a hospital for a night or two with cable television and her food served to her in bed.

When I had my gallbladder removed, I joked how awesome it really was because I got to lay in a remote-controlled bed for two days, watch Oprah and have my meals served to me on a tray. And let’s be honest here, you don’t have to have kids to have a fantasy like this. Any woman whose life is not entirely hers can relate, right? We all bookmarks hotels where we’d like to have “staycations” and save up for spa days.

3. Because I have a mom.

It’s true, I do. And she probably doesn’t get enough credit for raising me and my brother.  And she always worked but never missed a soccer game or school play. And found time to make dinner, bake cookies, clean, take us to doctor’s appointments, singing lessons and friends’ houses, and have date nights with our dad (42 years married this October, guys).

I also have friends who are mothers, cousins who are mothers… you get the idea.

Hint: Stay for the credits.

4. Girl power.

Because Deadline’s headline on the “Bad Moms” box office references “purses.” Because headlines like this about the premiere exist: “Jay Hernandez & David Walton Bring Out The Stars For ‘Bad Moms’ Premiere!” Dreamy guys? Yes. Bring out the stars? Maybe. This movie stars Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith and Annie Mumolo (who co-wrote “Bridesmaids,” by the way). Hernandez and Walton are delicious eye-candy and I do not mean to say they aren’t talented, but they sure-as-shit were not the focal point of the film nor the film’s red carpet premiere.

Consider the chorus of dissenting voices that rose up when Paul Feig’s “Ghostbusters” remake was announced. Hollywood has a hard time accepting women-lead comedies and action movies. And we deserve real, true-to-life raunchy comedies like this as well as smart, clever, friendlier ones like “Ghostbusters.” We deserve kick-ass women like Kate McKinnon and Charlize Theron and Amy Poehler. And they deserve equal billing and equal pay.

Read this article from New York Magazine for more on why this matters. A friend sent it to me when I was having trouble understanding the gravity of this discussion and now I keep it bookmarked.