Last Updated on August 31, 2023 by Lori Pace
Are you struggling to decide which movie to watch for a movie night? A brilliant single mom movie will inspire you and make you proud. Besides, if you have kids, is this a brilliant way to teach them about your difficulties in a discreet way?
Single Mom Movie You Must Watch
Jerry Maguire
- Starring as the single mother: Renée Zellweger
- Other Famous People: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr.
- Movie genre: Comedy, Drama
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated R for strong language and sexuality.
Dorothy Boyd (Rene Zellweger), a single mother, is the only one who believes in Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise), an independent sports agent. He recently lost his status as an elite agent with big-name clients and a huge salary. Dorothy assists Jerry in rebuilding his life and helps him find love.
It’s Complicated
- Starring as the single mother: Meryl Streep
- Other Famous People: Alec Baldwin
- Movie genre: Comedy, Drama
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated R
It’s Complicated, a single-mother movie about two ex-husbands who reunite after years. Alec Baldwin, Meryl Streep’s ex-husband, and Meryl Streep meet at their son’s graduation. They realize they still love each other. He’s now remarried, and she is seeing someone else.
The Single Mums Club
- Starring as the single mother: Nia Long
- Other Famous People: Amy Smart, Wendi McLendon-Covey
- Movie genre: Comedy, Drama
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated PG-13
Five single mothers struggling to make ends meet and form a support group for each other to share their struggles and find inspiration. The women in this film are from diverse backgrounds and come together to face life’s challenges in a very relatable way. This film is perfect for those times when you are feeling down.
Mamma Mia
- Starring as the single mother: Meryl Streep
- Other Famous People: Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan
- Movie genre: Comedy, Musical
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated PG-13
We love a good musical. This musical is about a young woman about to marry and who wants to find her true father. Even her mother (Meryl Steep) isn’t sure. Enjoy the beautiful scenery on a Greek Island while you sing along to ABBA’s hits.
“The Babadook” Horror Single Mom Movie
- Starring as the single mother: Essie Davis
- Other Famous People: Hayley McElhinney, Daniel Henshall
- Movie genre: Horror, Drama
- Can I watch this with my kids: Not rated. Disturbing scenes might upset kids.
Babadook is a horror film that examines the relationship between a grieving parent, and her child. Amelia has just lost her husband, and her son is acting strangely at school. A strange, creepy pop-up book named Mr. Babadook arrives at their home and unleashes a monster.
Mrs. Doubtfire
- Starring as the single mother: Sally Field
- Other Famous People: : Robin Williams, Pierce Brosnan
- Movie genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated PG -13
The classic Mrs. Doubtfire is a must-see on any list of single mom movies. The struggling actor Daniel (Robin Williams), recently separated from Miranda, and can’t visit his children as often as he would like. Daniel pretends to be a British housekeeper when Miranda posts a job for a nanny.
Where The Heart Is
- Starring as the single mother: Natalie Portman
- Other Famous People: Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing
- Movie genre: Comedy, Drama
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated PG-13
It is hard enough to become pregnant, but it can be even more difficult when you’re seventeen years old. Novalee (Natalie Portman), a woman who was abandoned by her boyfriend at Walmart and left with five dollars, must learn how to rebuild her life with a newborn.
“Erin Brockovich” Single Mom Movie
- Starring as the single mother: Julia Roberts
- Other Famous People: Albert Finney, David Brisbin
- Movie genre: Comedy, Drama
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated R
Erin Brockovich, a single mother who is unemployed and in desperate need of a job, is looking for one. She is thrown into a battle with a multibillion dollar corporation when she gets a job as a secretary at a law firm. The corporation is accused of poisoning local water supplies. A moving film about courage and the potential consequences.
Enough Said
- Starring as the single mother: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
- Other Famous People: James Gandolfini, Toni Collette
- Movie genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated PG-13
Enough Said, a film about an older single mother who is worried about an empty nest, is a great choice. Eva is a masseuse who is about to lose her daughter. Eva meets a funny and like-minded man. However, Eva’s ex (also Eva’s client) keeps referring to him as a bad mother so that Eva begins to doubt her new relationship.
“Changeling” Single Mom Movie
- Starring as the single mother: Angelina Jolie
- Other Famous People: John Malkovich
- Movie genre: Crime, Drama
- Can I watch this with my kids: Rated R, grisly scenes may upset kids.
The Changeling is one of our darkest single mother movies. This movie stars Angelina Jolie, who plays a mother convinced her son is an impostor. It’s a great choice if you want a good thriller.
