Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "absent-mother"
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1. Shameless (2011–2021)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama
A scrappy, feisty, fiercely loyal Chicago family makes no apologies.
Stars: Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, Ethan Cutkosky, Jeremy Allen White
Votes: 286,907
2. American Beauty (1999)
R | 122 min | Drama
A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley
Votes: 1,212,945 | Gross: $130.10M
3. Pretty Baby (1978)
R | 110 min | Drama
A preteen girl lives as a prostitute in New Orleans in 1917.
Director: Louis Malle | Stars: Brooke Shields, Keith Carradine, Susan Sarandon, Frances Faye
Votes: 12,882 | Gross: $5.79M
4. Boogie Nights (1997)
R | 155 min | Drama
Back when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealistic porn producer aspires to elevate his craft to an art when he discovers a hot young talent.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Luis Guzmán
Votes: 282,641 | Gross: $26.40M
5. Thirteen (2003)
R | 100 min | Drama
A thirteen-year-old girl's relationship with her mother is put to the test as she discovers drugs, sex, and petty crime in the company of her cool but troubled best friend.
Director: Catherine Hardwicke | Stars: Evan Rachel Wood, Holly Hunter, Nikki Reed, Vanessa Hudgens
Votes: 98,292 | Gross: $4.60M
6. Blow (2001)
R | 124 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The story of how George Jung, along with the Medellín Cartel headed by Pablo Escobar, established the American cocaine market in the 1970s in the United States.
Director: Ted Demme | Stars: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Franka Potente, Rachel Griffiths
Votes: 275,541 | Gross: $52.99M
7. Jumper (2008)
PG-13 | 88 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A young man with teleportation abilities suddenly finds himself in the middle of an ancient war between those like him and their sworn annihilators.
Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson
Votes: 324,092 | Gross: $80.17M
8. The Paperboy (2012)
R | 107 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A reporter returns to his Florida hometown to investigate a case involving a death row inmate.
Director: Lee Daniels | Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack, Zac Efron
Votes: 39,728 | Gross: $0.69M
9. Death Note (I) (2017)
TV-MA | 101 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
A high school student named Light Turner discovers a mysterious notebook that has the power to kill anyone whose name is written within its pages, and launches a secret crusade to rid the world of criminals.
Director: Adam Wingard | Stars: Nat Wolff, LaKeith Stanfield, Margaret Qualley, Shea Whigham
Votes: 90,617
10. Nowhere Boy (2009)
R | 98 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of John Lennon's first years, focused mainly in his adolescence and his relationship with his stern aunt Mimi, who raised him, and his absentee mother Julia, who re-entered his life at a crucial moment in his young life.
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff, David Threlfall
Votes: 38,991 | Gross: $1.45M
11. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
PG-13 | 111 min | Drama
A rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies.
Director: Nicholas Ray | Stars: James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus
Votes: 98,137
12. Free Willy (1993)
PG | 112 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
When a boy learns that a beloved killer whale is to be killed by the aquarium owners, the boy risks everything to free the whale.
Director: Simon Wincer | Stars: Jason James Richter, Lori Petty, Michael Madsen, Jayne Atkinson
Votes: 83,150 | Gross: $77.70M
13. Honey Boy (2019)
R | 94 min | Drama
A young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.
Director: Alma Har'el | Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe, Byron Bowers
Votes: 40,922
14. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
PG-13 | 108 min | Adventure, Horror, Mystery
In 1968, the night of Halloween brings mayhem in a small town when a group of friends discovers a notebook written by a mysterious girl that foretells terrifying events.
Director: André Øvredal | Stars: Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams
Votes: 85,462 | Gross: $68.95M
15. August Rush (2007)
PG | 114 min | Drama, Music
A musically gifted orphan, Evan, runs away from his orphanage and searches New York City for his birth parents. On his journey, he's taken under the wing of the Wizard, a homeless man who lives in an abandoned theater.
Director: Kirsten Sheridan | Stars: Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard
Votes: 111,209 | Gross: $31.66M
16. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
R | 93 min | Horror
Freddy Krueger returns once again to terrorize the dreams of the remaining Dream Warriors, as well as those of a young woman who may be able to defeat him for good.
Director: Renny Harlin | Stars: Robert Englund, Rodney Eastman, John Beckman, Kisha Brackel
Votes: 61,821 | Gross: $49.37M
17. Phenomena (1985)
R | 116 min | Crime, Horror, Mystery
A young girl who has an amazing ability to communicate with insects is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.
Director: Dario Argento | Stars: Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence, Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro
Votes: 30,135
18. Punky Brewster (1984–1988)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Young Punky Brewster is abandoned with her dog, Brandon, in a supermarket. When she befriends Henry Warnimont, her new family life begins.
Stars: Soleil Moon Frye, George Gaynes, Cherie Johnson, Sandy
Votes: 6,117
19. Lilya 4-Ever (2002)
R | 109 min | Crime, Drama
Sixteen-year-old Lilja and her only friend, the young boy Volodja, live in Russia, fantasizing about a better life. One day, Lilja falls in love with Andrej, who is going to Sweden, and invites Lilja to come along and start a new life.
Director: Lukas Moodysson | Stars: Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharskiy, Pavel Ponomaryov, Lyubov Agapova
Votes: 49,510 | Gross: $0.18M
20. Youngblood (1986)
R | 110 min | Drama, Romance, Sport
A 17 year old farm boy is offered an ice hockey tryout. His brother drives him to Canada. He has fast legs, slow fists, but is chosen. Will he learn to use his fists and play ice hockey the Canuck way? Will he get the coach's cute daughter?
Director: Peter Markle | Stars: Rob Lowe, Cynthia Gibb, Patrick Swayze, Ed Lauter
Votes: 15,883 | Gross: $15.45M
21. Fame (1980)
R | 134 min | Drama, Music, Musical
A chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts.
Director: Alan Parker | Stars: Eddie Barth, Irene Cara, Lee Curreri, Laura Dean
Votes: 24,754 | Gross: $0.12M
22. Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)
PG | 106 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A mischievous dog befriends a lonely young girl in a new town and helps her make new friends.
Director: Wayne Wang | Stars: AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, Eva Marie Saint, Cicely Tyson
Votes: 12,709 | Gross: $32.65M
23. The Big Blue (1988)
PG | 168 min | Adventure, Drama, Sport
The rivalry between Enzo and Jacques, two childhood friends and now world-renowned free divers, becomes a beautiful and perilous journey into oneself and the unknown.
Director: Luc Besson | Stars: Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno, Rosanna Arquette, Paul Shenar
Votes: 55,188 | Gross: $3.50M
24. Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018)
R | 114 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
On the rocky path to sobriety after a life-changing accident, John Callahan discovers the healing power of art, willing his injured hands into drawing hilarious, often controversial cartoons, which bring him a new lease on life.
Director: Gus Van Sant | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, Jack Black
Votes: 30,755 | Gross: $1.44M
25. Words on Bathroom Walls (2020)
PG-13 | 110 min | Drama, Romance
Diagnosed with a mental illness halfway through his senior year of high school, a witty, introspective teen struggles to keep it a secret while falling in love with a brilliant classmate who inspires him to not be defined by his condition.
Director: Thor Freudenthal | Stars: Charlie Plummer, Andy Garcia, Taylor Russell, AnnaSophia Robb
Votes: 13,661
26. The Painted Bird (2019)
Unrated | 169 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
A young Jewish boy somewhere in Eastern Europe seeks refuge during World War II where he encounters many different characters.
Director: Václav Marhoul | Stars: Petr Kotlár, Nina Sunevic, Alla Sokolova, Stanislav Bilyi
Votes: 7,678
27. East of Eden (1955)
PG | 118 min | Drama
Two brothers in 1910s California struggle to maintain their strict, Bible-toting father's favor as an old secret about their long-absent mother comes to light.
Director: Elia Kazan | Stars: James Dean, Raymond Massey, Julie Harris, Burl Ives
Votes: 48,882
28. A Thousand and One (2023)
R | 117 min | Crime, Drama
After unapologetic and fiercely loyal Inez kidnaps her son Terry from the foster care system, mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and stability, in a rapidly changing New York City.
Director: A.V. Rockwell | Stars: Teyana Taylor, Aaron Kingsley Adetola, Aven Courtney, Josiah Cross
Votes: 7,021
29. The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
R | 85 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
Terror grips a small mountain town as bodies are discovered after each full moon. Losing sleep, raising a teenage daughter, and caring for his ailing father, officer Marshall struggles to remind himself there's no such thing as werewolves.
Director: Jim Cummings | Stars: Jim Cummings, Riki Lindhome, Robert Forster, Chloe East
Votes: 24,327
30. Our Story (2017–2019)
TV-PG | 120 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Filiz has been struggling to survive in one of the city's slums, she is the eldest daughter of the family and has been taking care of her five younger siblings since their mother left them and their father is addicted to alcohol.
Stars: Hazal Kaya, Burak Deniz, Reha Özcan, Yagiz Can Konyali
Votes: 3,455
31. Evelyn (2002)
PG | 94 min | Drama
Desmond's wife leaves him and their 3 kids after Christmas 1953. As he's unemployed in Dublin, the authorities place the kids in orphanages; when he finds a job, he tries to get his kids back.
Director: Bruce Beresford | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Julianna Margulies, Aidan Quinn, Sophie Vavasseur
Votes: 7,138 | Gross: $1.48M
32. Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
PG-13 | 93 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.
Director: Benh Zeitlin | Stars: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly, Lowell Landes
Votes: 85,133 | Gross: $12.80M
33. Merlí (2015– )
TV-MA | 58 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Meet the renegade philosophy teacher who's not afraid to speak his mind and break the rules to revolutionize his students' lives, including the son he barely knows and a student with a severe social phobia.
Stars: Francesc Orella, Pere Ponce, Carlos Cuevas, Marta Marco
Votes: 9,934
34. Her Smell (2018)
R | 136 min | Drama, Music
A self-destructive punk rocker struggles with sobriety while trying to recapture the creative inspiration that led her band to success.
Director: Alex Ross Perry | Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Agyness Deyn
Votes: 8,213 | Gross: $0.26M
35. Win Win (2011)
R | 106 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport
A struggling lawyer and volunteer wrestling coach's chicanery comes back to haunt him when the teenage grandson of the client he has double-crossed comes into his life.
Director: Tom McCarthy | Stars: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Jeffrey Tambor, Bobby Cannavale
Votes: 55,305 | Gross: $10.18M
36. Broken (IV) (2012)
Not Rated | 91 min | Drama, Romance
Three suburban English families' lives intertwine with tragic consequences.
Director: Rufus Norris | Stars: Charlie Booty, Lily James, Tim Roth, Eloise Laurence
Votes: 15,035
37. The Best of Youth (2003)
R | 374 min | Drama, Romance
An Italian epic that follows the lives of two brothers from the 1960s to the 2000s.
Director: Marco Tullio Giordana | Stars: Luigi Lo Cascio, Alessio Boni, Jasmine Trinca, Adriana Asti
Votes: 23,243 | Gross: $0.27M
38. Wild Rose (2018)
R | 101 min | Drama, Music
A troubled young Glaswegian woman dreams of becoming a Nashville country star.
Director: Tom Harper | Stars: Jessie Buckley, Matt Costello, Jane Patterson, Lesley Hart
Votes: 15,364 | Gross: $1.64M
39. Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990 TV Movie)
G | 96 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
There's a crisis in Rhymeland. All the Rhymies (the characters from nursery rhymes) are disappearing. Mother Goose's son, Gordon, and Little Bo Peep set off to find them.
Director: Jeff Stein | Stars: Harry Anderson, Brian Bonsall, Elayne Boosler, Bobby Brown
Votes: 980
40. Pieles (2017)
TV-MA | 77 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
In a strange world where people share numerous deformities, the same problem we all face challenges each of them: to find someone who accepts you as you are. Sometimes, that means finding yourself first.
Director: Eduardo Casanova | Stars: Ana Polvorosa, Carmen Machi, Macarena Gómez, Candela Peña
Votes: 7,133
41. Son of Rambow (2007)
PG-13 | 96 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
During a long English summer in the early 1980s, two schoolboys from differing backgrounds set out to make a film inspired by First Blood (1982).
Director: Garth Jennings | Stars: Bill Milner, Will Poulter, Jessica Hynes, Anna Wing
Votes: 32,991 | Gross: $1.78M
42. A Better Life (2011)
PG-13 | 98 min | Drama, Romance
A gardener in East L.A. struggles to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while trying to give his son the opportunities he never had.
Director: Chris Weitz | Stars: Demián Bichir, José Julián, Eddie 'Piolin' Sotelo, Joaquín Cosio
Votes: 16,553 | Gross: $1.76M
43. Julien Donkey-Boy (1999)
R | 94 min | Comedy, Drama
A portrait of the effects of schizophrenia on family life is the central focus.
Director: Harmony Korine | Stars: Ewen Bremner, Brian Fisk, Chloë Sevigny, Werner Herzog
Votes: 7,769 | Gross: $0.08M
44. Tea with Mussolini (1999)
PG | 117 min | Comedy, Drama, War
An orphaned Italian boy is raised amongst a circle of British and American women living in Mussolini's Italy before and during World War II.
Director: Franco Zeffirelli | Stars: Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Cher
Votes: 14,216 | Gross: $14.35M
45. Swing Vote (2008)
PG-13 | 120 min | Comedy, Drama
In a remarkable turn-of-events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man's vote.
Director: Joshua Michael Stern | Stars: Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer, Madeline Carroll
Votes: 19,423 | Gross: $16.28M
46. #Horror (2015)
Not Rated | 97 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
Six preadolescent girls face a night of terror when the compulsive addiction of an online social media game turns a moment of cyber bullying into a night of insanity.
Director: Tara Subkoff | Stars: Sadie Seelert, Haley Murphy, Bridget McGarry, Blue Lindeberg
Votes: 3,972
47. Louder Than Bombs (2015)
R | 109 min | Drama
The fractious family of a father and his two sons confront their different feelings and memories of their deceased wife and mother, a famed war photographer.
Director: Joachim Trier | Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel Byrne, Isabelle Huppert, Devin Druid
Votes: 14,219 | Gross: $0.16M
48. Merlí. Sapere Aude (2019–2021)
TV-MA | 50 min | Comedy, Drama
When Pol enrolls in university in pursuit of a philosophy degree, he's challenged and enticed by new friends and an intimidating professor.
Stars: Carlos Cuevas, María Pujalte, Pablo Capuz, Boris Ruiz
Votes: 3,626
49. La Unidad (2020–2023)
Action, Drama, Thriller
A secret unit of cops is assembled to stop a terrorist band from attacking Spain after their leader is arrested there.
Stars: Nathalie Poza, Michel Noher, Marian Álvarez, Fariba Sheikhan
Votes: 1,873
50. The Boys Club (1996)
R | 91 min | Adventure, Crime, Drama
In Ontario, Canada, three fourteen-year-old boys, Kyle, Brad and Eric are forced to perform an ordeal when they find a wounded mysterious fugitive named Luke, who has a gun and claiming to be a cop, has taken a hiding in their clubhouse.
Director: John Fawcett | Stars: Chris Penn, Dominic Zamprogna, Stuart Stone, Devon Sawa
Votes: 1,348