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The Good Mothers
Teaser poster
Genre	Crime drama
Based on	The Good Mothers by Alex Perry
Written by	Stephen Butchard
Directed by	Julian Jarrold Elisa Amoruso
Starring	Gaia Girace Valentina Bellè Barbara Chichiarelli Simona Di Stefano Micaela Ramazzotti
Music by	Giorgio Giampà
Country of origin	United Kingdom Italy
Original language	Italian
No. of episodes	6
Production
Producers	Juliette Howell Tessa Ross Harriet Spencer Mario Gianani Lorenzo Gangarossa
Cinematography	Vittorio Omodei Zorini Martina Cocco Ferran Paredes Rubio
Editors	Simona Paggi Chiara Griziotti Irene Vecchio
Running time	45 minutes
Production companies	House Productions Wildside
Original release
Network	Disney+
Release	21 February 2023 (2023-02-21)

The Good Mothers is a 2023 British-Italian crime drama television mini-series directed by Julian Jarrold and Elisa Amoruso. Based on a true story and adapted from the eponymous novel by Alex Perry, the series depicts how three courageous women inside the notorious Calabrian 'Ndrangheta mafia worked with a female prosecutor to bring down the criminal empire.

The Good Mothers had its international premiere at 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in Berlinale Series on 21 February 2023, as first 2 episodes out of 6 were screened. It was released on April 5, 2023 internationally on Disney+ and on Hulu in the United States.

Synopsis

Set in 2010, the series begins with the disappearance of Lea Garofalo, who, together with her daughter Denise, had decided to end the 'Ndrangheta mafia. In Calabria, Anna Colace, a public prosecutor committed against the criminal clans, develops a new strategy to crush the power of the gangs by influencing the female members to collaborate and thus undermine the organization's power structure. A strategy that puts women in front, and betray their families, in the hope of better future for themselves and their children.

Cast

• Gaia Girace as Denise Cosco
• Valentina Bellè as Giuseppina Pesce
• Barbara Chichiarelli as Anna Colace
• Francesco Colella as Carlo Cosco
• Simona Distefano as Concetta Cacciola
• Andrea Dodero as Carmine
• Micaela Ramazzotti as Lea Garofalo
• Andrea Riso as Enrico

Episodes

Production

On 15 April 2021, Disney+ confirmed the production of its Star Original series The Good Mothers. This series was part of Disney+ and Star's first European originals productions.

Release

The first 2 episodes of the series were screened at 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in Berlinale Series on 21 February 2023. It began streaming on 5 April 2023 internationally on Disney+ and on Hulu in the United States.

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.00/10, based on 7 critic reviews.

Joel Keller of Decider asserted, "The first episode of The Good Mothers sets up a powerful story of an unheard faction of the ‘Ndrangheta families that stood up and helped to bring them down." Jasper Rees of The Telegraph gave the series a grade of 5 out of 5 stars, called it a "superb adaptation" of Alex Perry's book, and said that each episode is "compelling." Nick Clark of Evening Standard gave The Good Mothers a grade of 4 out of 5 stars, writing, "A gritty, Italian-language mafia drama may not have been an obvious gap in his CV, but this is expertly handled. Its beautifully shot, and thrillingly tense. Search it out, mamma mia this is good."

Accolades

References

1. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (21 February 2023). "Disney+ Series 'The Good Mothers,' Real Story of Women Who Dare to Defy Italian Mob, Marks U.K. Italy Collaboration". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
2. Whittock, Jesse (16 January 2023). "Berlinale Series Unveils Eight World Premieres & TV Jury". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
3. "Disney+ renforce son offre de productions européennes en dévoilant ses premières séries originales britanniques" [Disney+ strengthens its offer of European productions by unveiling its first British original series] (Press release) (in French). The Walt Disney Company France. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
4. Minniti, Marco (22 February 2023). "Presentati al Festival di Berlino 2023 – nell'ambito della sezione Berlinale Series – i primi due episodi di The Good Mothers convincono" [Presented at the Berlin Film Festival 2023 – as part of the Berlinale Series section – the first two episodes of The Good Mothers convince]. Asbury Movies (in Italian). Retrieved 24 February 2023.
5. "The Good Mothers - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
6. Keller, Joel (6 April 2023). "'The Good Mothers' Hulu Review: Stream It Or Skip It?". Decider. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
7. Rees, Jasper (5 April 2023). "The Good Mothers, Disney+ review: masterly Italian drama places women front and centre – for once". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
8. Clark, Nick (5 April 2023). "The Good Mothers on Disney+ review: true mafia tale is nerve-janglingly tense". Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
9. Goodfellow, Melanie (22 February 2023). "Disney+ Mafia Drama 'The Good Mothers' Wins First Ever Berlinale Series Award". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
10. Bałaga, Marta; Hopewell, John (22 February 2023). "Disney+ Original 'The Good Mothers' Scoops Berlinale Series Award". Variety. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
11. Leombruni, Lucrezia (12 May 2023). "Nastri d'Argento, Mare Fuori è la serie dell'anno". Agenzia Dire (in Italian).
12. Naselli, Antonio (17 June 2023). "NASTRI d'ARGENTO GRANDI SERIE 2023_NASTRI SPECIALI e STASERA LA PREMIAZIONE". Nastri d'Argento (in Italian).
13. Shanfeld, Ethan (15 January 2024). "Critics Choice Awards 2024: Winners List (Updating Live)". Variety. Retrieved 15 January 2024.

External links

• The Good Mothers at IMDb 
• The Good Mothers at Berlinale
• The Good Mothers at Cineuropa

• 2023 Italian television series debuts
• 2023 British television series debuts
• 2023 Italian television series endings
• 2023 British television series endings
• Italian-language television shows
• Star (Disney+) original programming
• Television shows set in Calabria
• Television shows set in Milan
• Television series based on books
• Television series based on actual events
• Television series by BBC Studios
• Television series by Fremantle (company)
• Italian crime television series
• 2020s Italian drama television series
• Television series about organized crime
• Works about organized crime in Italy
• 2020s British drama television series
• Television series set in 2010
• Works about the 'Ndrangheta