17 Mother-daughter Duo Movies To Stream This Mother's Day

Netflix

"Mother of the Bride," which dropped this week, stars Brooke Shields and Miranda Cosgrove as a mother and daughter, Lana and Emma, who are celebrating the surprise wedding of Cosgrove's character Emma in Thailand.

The catch? Emma's fiancé is the son of Lana's ex from way back when. Now, Lana has to balance being happy for her daughter while also staying away from the man who broke her heart.

"Mother's Day" is streaming on Netflix.

Netflix

Even though many of us have probably wished Jennifer Aniston was our mother (or sister or friend) at some point or another, "Dumplin'" shows it's potentially not all it's cracked up to be.

While the two have trouble communicating and understanding each other, it's clear the love is there — it just takes a beauty pageant, some drag queens, and a magic act to coax it out.

You can stream "Dumplin'" on Netflix.

A24

Former best picture winner "Everything Everywhere All at Once" is about a lot of things, but mainly, it's about the fractured bond between a mother, Evelyn, and her daughter, Joy, played by screen legend Michelle Yeoh in an Oscar-winning performance and Stephanie Hsu (who was nominated).

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll question reality, and you'll feel compelled to re-watch "Ratatouille." It's no wonder that it became A24's highest-grossing film of all time and its first film to cross the $100 million mark at the box office.

You can stream "Everything Everywhere All at Once" on Netflix.

Netflix

Lopez stars as a military operative known only as "The Mother" — the name becomes literal when she discovers the daughter she gave up for adoption, Zoe, has been kidnapped by her enemies.

If you're a mother and daughter who bond via intense action films, "The Mother" is perfect this year. And you wouldn't be alone in liking it  — according to Deadline, the streamer reported 250 million people watched "The Mother" upon its premiere last year.

"The Mother" is streaming on Netflix.

Netflix

"Moxie" is the story of Vivian, a teenager who decides to follow in the footsteps of her mother, Lisa (played by Amy Poehler, who also directed the film), by starting her own zine to combat the pervasive sexism at her high school.

While it's primarily a film about Vivian and her friends, the bond between Lisa and Vivian is one of the stronger points of the movie, and Poehler does a great job at playing an actually cool mom.

"Moxie" is streaming on Netflix.

Paramount Pictures

Have a box of tissues on hand if you decide to watch "Terms of Endearment." The film, which stars Shirley MacLaine, follows Aurora and Emma, a mother-daughter duo who are very close despite constantly fighting. As each woman moves through life, love, and relationships, their bond remains constant until the very end.

It won five Oscars, including best picture, best director, best actress, and best supporting actor, and was the second-highest-grossing film of 1983, only behind "Return of the Jedi."

You can stream "Terms of Endearment" on Paramount+.

Buena Vista Pictures

"Freaky Friday" should be mandatory viewing for every teenager ... and mother of a teenager. Anna and Tess, played by Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, respectively, spend a few days trying to live each other's lives and learn they both have their own challenges, including Battle of the Bands, new husbands, parenting, detention, and much more.

Spoiler: They don't stay swapped forever, but they do come out of it with a healthy appreciation for each other.

Since "Freaky Friday" made over $160 million at the global box office, we can't say we're surprised that a sequel starring Lohan and Curtis is reportedly in the works, per a 2023 Deadline report.

You can stream "Freaky Friday" on Disney+.

A24

Lady Bird, played by Saoirse Ronan, and her mother, Marion, played by Laurie Metcalf, manage to go from adversaries to best friends in a matter of seconds, just like real moms and daughters do. Both actresses were nominated for Oscars, and it's easy to see why, even if you just watch the first and last scenes of the film.

Never before on film has a mother-daughter relationship been so realistic and painful yet loving.

You can stream "Lady Bird" on Tubi.

Lionsgate Films

While Tanya at first doesn't want her daughter to compete, she later decides she needs to support her in following her dreams, even if they scare her, and even though Akeelah might fail.

You can stream "Akeelah and the Bee" on Tubi.

Buena Vista Pictures

"The Joy Luck Club," based on the Amy Tan novel of the same name, tells the stories of the four members of the clubs, and their relationships with their daughters. Each mother has a lesson to teach her daughter or a message to tell them about their lives in China.

The film is also only the second in Hollywood history to have a predominantly Asian cast. The third did not come along until 25 years later: "Crazy Rich Asians," another film featuring a heartwarming mother-daughter relationship.

You can stream "The Joy Luck Club" on Hulu, Paramount+, or Peacock.

Buena Vista Pictures

After Helen's sister and her husband die and leave their three kids in her custody, she must learn to become a mother by giving up her wild ways. Helen, played by Kate Hudson, has cute scenes bonding with each kid, but the crux of the movie comes from her relationship with 15-year-old Audrey, played by Hayden Panettiere.

Warning: This movie might also make you want to call your sister. Be prepared.

You can stream "Raising Helen" on The Roku Channel.

Orion Pictures

Winona Ryder stars as Charlotte in a performance that earned her a Golden Globe nomination. She and her mother, Rachel, played by Cher, couldn't be more different, which leads to a lot of friction in their household. However, predictably, the two eventually come to understand one another and the reasons for each other's decisions.

You can stream "Mermaids" on Tubi.

Buena Vista Pictures

Grandmothers are mothers, too! Besides, Mia, played by Anne Hathaway, also has a goals-worthy relationship with her cool artist mom. They even go rock climbing together and make balloon art! Plus, Mia's mom never felt that Mia needed a makeover — she loved her just the way she was.

But the most delightful part of "The Princess Diaries," which grossed a healthy $165 million globally, has to be when Queen Clarice (Julie Andrews) lets her hair down to just enjoy a San Francisco day with her granddaughter — it'll have you reaching for the phone to call your grandma pronto.

You can stream "The Princess Diaries" on Disney+.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"Brave" shows that even Pixar can take a stab at a complicated mother-daughter relationship, and it works. Merida learns that her mother just wants what's best for her, and her mother learns to love Merida for who she is, not who she wants her to be.

"Brave" made a staggering $539 million at the global box office, the highest-grossing film on this list. Once you watch it with your mom, you'll understand why.

You can stream "Brave" on Disney+.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"Turning Red," released in March 2022, is about Mei Lee, the 13-year-old daughter of Chinese-Canadian immigrants. When she starts puberty, she discovers that when she gets upset or excited, she turns into a giant red panda.

Over the course of the film, Mei must learn to accept her family's curse (or blessing?) and learn to stand up for herself while also respecting her mom, and her mom must learn to accept Mei.

You can stream "Turning Red" on Disney+.

Sony Pictures Releasing

The bond between the March sisters is unbreakable and the heart of the film, but the true family leader is their mother, affectionately called Marmee, played by Laura Dern in the 2019 movie version.

Specifically, her two scenes with Jo (Saoirse Ronan) — the one after Amy (Florence Pugh) burns Jo's book and she wisely tells Jo that "there are some natures too noble to curb, and too lofty to bend," and the one where Jo speaks about how she might want to be with Laurie after all — will remind you that, sometimes, it's hard to hear what your mom has to say, but she's usually right.

You can stream "Little Women" (2019) on Hulu.

Open Road Films

"Mother's Day" is a film in the same vein as "He's Just Not That Into You," "Valentine's Day," and "New Year's Eve." It features a large ensemble of A-list actors who are all interconnected in some way, and by the end, everyone has repaired their fractured relationships or realized they deserve better.

Except, in the case of "Mother's Day," almost all of the relationships are focused on mothers and daughters, with Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Sarah Chalke, and Margo Martindale all playing mothers (and Shay Mitchell as a stepmother).

You can stream "Mother's Day" on Max.