If you’re looking for a movie or TV show to watch with your mom or your daughter for some quality bonding time, look no further than these heartwarming, funny, and relatable pairs.
Rory and Lorelai, Gilmore Girls
Even though Lorelai became pregnant with Rory during high school and subsequently left her family to raise her alone, she was able to give her daughter a solid and happy upbringing unlike anything seen on Teen Mom. The Gilmore girls are undoubtedly the wittiest mom and daughter duo to grace television with a lot of heart and cheekiness in everything they do. Lorelai is the definition of a cool mom – she supports Rory to do whatever makes her happy and trusts her daughter to make the right decision. Rory is the picture of a thoughtful daughter and frequently plays peacemaker between Lorelai and her family. Both feel totally comfortable talking about boys, bad choices, and heartbreak and both give advice to each other during hard times.
Best scene(s): Anything involving Kirk (their small town’s jester of sorts) or the pair consuming inhuman amounts of junk food fit for professional eaters.
Anna and Tess, Freaky Friday
Anna is the typical rebellious high school teenager and Tess is the workaholic mom and neither understands the other. The body swap forces them to communicate with each other and find a common thread in order to keep both their lives functioning during pivotal events. Their relationship shows that though we may not understand our moms or daughters all the time, there is a bond of love and sacrifice that runs deeper than any argument or fight.
Best scene(s): Jamie Lee Curtis as Anna trapped inside Tess’s body playing the electric guitar. Honorable mention is Chad Michael Murray vying for Tess’s affections.
Olive and Rosemary, Easy A
Rosemary isn’t afraid to talk to Olive about topics like dating, sex, pregnancy, and her own love life. She’s like a saner version of Regina George’s mom without the booze and desire to be young again. Rosemary might be a bit of an oversharer but she’s a great listener and tries to be both an advice-giving mom and friendly confidante. Their hilarious relationship is one of the highlights of the comedic movie. Olive’s horrified face at some of her mom’s more TMI tidbits is perfect as well.
Best scene(s): Rosemary discussing her previous romantic conquests to a very uncomfortable Olive.
Merida and Elinor, Brave
Merida’s independence and refusal to conform to the duties of a typical princess puts her at odds with her mother. After her mother is put in danger with an ancient spell, she must “mend the bond torn by pride.” Their reconciliation is all about the importance of admitting faults and mistakes in relationships.
Best scene(s): The final resolution scene of the film will bring a few tears…no spoilers!
Sophie and Donna, Mamma Mia!
Sophie’s impending marriage leaves both mom and daughter with uncertainties. Sophie craves the knowledge of her father’s identity and Donna is unsure of how she’ll cope with her little girl growing up and leaving her. Both ultimately achieve happy endings and sing to each other with love in various musical numbers.
Best scene(s): Meryl Streep in any scene in which she’s singing and dancing. As Cam from Modern Family raved, “Meryl Streep could be Batman and be the right choice.”
If there’s anything that all of these duos prove, it’s that any miscommunications, quarrels, or difficulties are nothing compared to the strength of a trusting and loving relationship between mom and daughter.
Are there any favorite pairs missing from the list? Comment and share your opinions!
Cover image courtesy of Shutterstock.
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