Con Mum Movie Review (2025)

And you thought your mother was difficult. Con Mum puts a whole new spin on what it means to have a complicated relationship with a parent.

Stories about the dynamics between parents and children are famous for being tricky. There are twists and turns in a relationship with any other human, but with a parent, there is this deep-down need for acceptance and connection. It doesn’t always happen and sometimes life is healthier without it, but the need exists nonetheless.

Con Mum is a documentary about the real-life story of Graham, a professional chef who was adopted as a small child and had never met his birth mother. After getting married, he and his wife begin a quest to find her.

One day, shortly after giving up the search, a woman reaches out to him claiming to be his mother. She resembles him and invites Graham and his wife to come visit her at a fancy hotel, all expenses paid. She is a wealthy woman, paying is not an issue, and she wants to meet her son. Dionne has a terminal illness, so there is limited time left and lots to make up for.

I enjoyed this documentary. It is told in a very engaging way, full of textured stories, interviews, photographs, audio and video recordings. There is a lot to explore and many details to uncover.

Whatever you may think of Graham, this is a man who has always longed for a maternal connection. It was what was going to make him feel whole, knowing where he came from, if not also having a real relationship with the woman who birthed him. Putting yourself in this incredibly vulnerable situation makes the rest of his story make more sense.

There isn’t a ton of emotional depth for the viewer to this documentary and it is fairly light in subject, but it is a story worth telling and I’m glad I watched it. It is also incredibly short, at only 88 minutes. It’s an easy film to put on when you want to get away for an hour or so. Much like watching a Dateline episode. And if you have a relationship with your own parents, it may just help you appreciate them a bit more.

Runtime: 88 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: MA

Languages Spoken In The Film: English

Should You Watch It? Yes, it’s entertaining

Did I Cry? Nope

My Rating: 3.25/5 Stars

Available: Free on Netflix