It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Mrs. Martin (Sissy Spacek) is a single mother of three active children. One is almost-a-teen, Elizabeth (Anna Chlumsky), who finds mother's orders most awful, especially the one where she can not go shopping with friends. Elizabeth's two younger brothers are also upset that mother never has time to make pancakes but always makes time to insist on them cleaning the fish bowl and their bedrooms. Things go from bad to worse when Elizabeth is caught smoking at school and the younger boys get in a schoolyard tussle. Mom grounds them all for a month, at least. The next day, as the trio are allowed to visit a nice lady (Maureen Stapleton), who hired them to work in her garden over the summer, they learn of a magic spell which would allow them to choose a new mother from the "Mommy Market". Acting rashly, the three of them use the enchantment and mother does indeed vanish. But, at the market, there are no really attractive mothers, so they take a chance on a French lady (also Sissy Spacek) who has a cook. She ends up being a disaster as a mom. Yet, the kids only have two more chances to pick a new parent. Will they find the mother of their misguided dreams? This is pleasant little film but nothing extraordinary. Spacek shows off her abundant talent by taking on four different roles; one of them, the outdoorsy-mom, is a scream. The children, too, are very winning and Stapleton does a fine turn, too, as the gardening friend. All of the lesser roles are fulfilled well, also. As for the looks of the movie, it is quite attractive, with fun costumes, sets, and scenery. The script and the direction are fairly well-done, too. All in all, this is a nice flick for the family on any given night. Trade in those re-runs and get this one for a "something different" night in the near future.

This movie was one of my favorites when I was a Kid. It is a very unique and thoughtful movie for the whole family to see. It really puts into perspective that it doesn't matter if someone can give you everything you could ever want, take you where you want to go all the time, or is so much more fun, no one in this world can replace your Mom. I love how this movie brings in morals to the kids who watch this movie. A lot will realise that your Mother is one of the dearest and irreplaceable people in your life. The only problem I had with the move was the ending. I did not like Harry's choice at all. I believe they should of had the last Mother choice to be more interesting and a longer outcome then Natasha. All in all I believe your whole family will enjoy this and will be a movie you will remember for years to come.

When I first heard about "Trading Mom"--Sissy Spacek as a harried single mother whose kids wish her completely away, replacing her with a series of substitutes, all portrayed by Spacek in different guises--I thought it sounded great, and just the boost Sissy's career needed. But what a disappointment "Trading Mom" turns out to be. Based on the book "The Mummy Market" by Nancy Brelis, and adapted by the film's director, Tia Brelis, the comedy is poorly-paced and produced, and features the kind of movie-kids that make your teeth ache. As for Spacek, she's fine (as always) but is defeated by the colorless script. Some brief flashes of wit, nothing more. *1/2 from ****

It might seem a dull movie, and well kind of is. Anna Chulumsky is great however in the movie as well as the two actors that play her brother. Its not in every Blockbuster in town, but if you get a chance to rent a movie, look for this one (just make sure youre doing something while watching it, it won't seem as boring.)