Mila Kunis may decide to go off the traditional rails of motherhood in “Bad Moms,” but she doesn’t touch any of the women on this list. We looked at some of the worst movie moms of all time, from overprotective to downright abusive.
Psycho
selfish/abusive/overprotective
The mother of all mommy issues, Norma Bates was so possessive and controlling of her son that he murders her and her lover out of jealousy. But his guilt and emotional abuse cause him to develop a split personality where he acts as his mother. Whenever he’s attracted to a woman, “Mother” takes over his body and kills her.
Mommie Dearest
selfish/manipulative/abusive
Horrifyingly based on real events, “Mommie Dearest” reveals how actress Joan Crawford abused her adopted daughter Christina. At first, she is just rigidly strict, but her treatment of Christina expands into emotional abuse and eventually she beats the girl with a wire hanger.
Home Alone
neglectful
Kate McCallister has a lot of children and is stressed out about the holidays, like any mom. It’s pretty bad to board an airplane to Paris without your kid, though. To be fair, she spends the rest of the movie doing everything she can to get back to Kevin by Christmas, but forgetting your kid in another country is not the best parenting.
The Hangover
neglectful
Jade may have been a cool stripper with a heart of gold, but what kind of mom leaves her baby in a Vegas hotel room with three drunken dudes? What are the chances that little baby “Carlos” grows up to be a productive member of society?
The Waterboy
selfish/manipulative/overprotective
Mama Boucher basically causes her son to become socially inept by crushing him with overprotectiveness. Everything is “the devil,” including “foosball.” OK, emotionally abusing your son by telling him you’re the only person who could love him is not cool, but she may have not been too far off about football. Have you seen “Concussion”?
Precious
selfish/manipulative/abusive/neglectful
When Precious’ father rapes and impregnates her, her mother, Mary, doesn’t do anything to stop it. In fact, she perceives her daughter as a threat for “stealing her man” and abuses and abandons her herself.
Carrie
abusive/manipulative/overprotective
It’s hard to get worse than Margaret, the crazy Christian mom in “Carrie” who tells her daughter her period is the result of sinful thoughts and locks her in a closet. After Carrie releases her pent-up rage on her tormentors at school, her mom tries to stab her to death, thinking she’s satanic. It doesn’t work out.
The Fighter
selfish/manipulative/neglectful
Alice bets on and against her kids, pits them against each other, enables one’s drug addiction and is generally a selfish and terrible person. When her son experiences happiness and success that doesn’t come from her (i.e. a girlfriend), she does what she can to undercut it.
The Graduate
selfish/manipulative/seductive
The original desperate housewife, Mrs. Robinson seduces Ben, the son of her husband’s law partner, and then spends the movie trying to keep him away from her daughter, whom he is genuinely interested in. When he doesn’t back down, she tells her daughter and husband Ben raped her.
American Pie
selfish/seductive
It’s generally frowned upon to sleep with your son’s classmate, so that’s the first point against Mrs. Stifler. But her biggest offense is just being the person responsible for raising Stifler.
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Wedding Crashers
selfish/seductive
Kathleen (or “Kitty Kat,” as she likes to be called) spends “Wedding Crashers” getting drunk and attempting to seduce a guy half her age, despite the fact that she’s married and most of her children are crazy or depressed.
Mean Girls
selfish/immature
Everyone bows to the power of Regina George, even her mom. The woman gives her whatever she wants, offers to fetch condoms for her and even gives Regina her bedroom when she demands it. She’s “not like a regular mom, she’s a cool mom,” but she created a teenage terrorist.
Coraline
manipulative/abusive
Bothered that her real mother is always busy, Coraline enters an alternate reality and finds “Other Mother,” a warm and seemingly perfect version of her own mom. But when she refuses to stay in the other world, “Other Mother” wants to trap her there forever by whatever means necessary.
8 Mile
selfish/neglectful/immature
Jimmy’s mom, Stephanie, is co-dependent and selfish, focusing more on her boyfriend and drinking than paying her rent or taking care of her kids. While she’s busy having loud sex with her boyfriend, her son is tucking her daughter into bed. Not great.