Mother

Brooks is a sorely under-rated movie-maker in Britain. Andrew Sarris called Mother the best film of 1996, but here it is, a year later, sneaking out straight to video. That said, it doesn't lose much on the small screen, where its subtle, quietly devastating observations on dysfunctional families and male neuroses look right at home. In Lost in America Brooks hit the road in a camper van to 'touch Indians'; here, twice divorced, but still intrepid, he moves back in with mom to get to the root of his problems with women. He's aggressive; she's impassive. 'The Experiment' isn't very scientific, but it gradually gets (rather pat) results. There aren't many films which tackle the generation gap between middle-aged kids and their old folks with such unsentimental comic acuity - and Reynolds essays her best role in three decades with delectable good grace and charm.