Libby Ward picks 5 movies to pair with ‘Honest Motherhood’
In Pairings, artists and creators pick the movies that complement their latest work.
Libby Ward is a digital creator, speaker, and mental health advocate with over 2 million followers. Her new book Honest Motherhood: On Losing My Mind and Finding Myself is available on April 14 wherever you get your books!
We asked Libby to pick a few movies that pair well with Honest Motherhood and here is what she wrote about them.
Inside Out (2015)
While Inside Out is a lovable and accessible movie for both kids and adults in the many roles they play, it pairs well with Honest Motherhood because at its core, it is a story about feelings, identity and belonging. Motherhood, too, is marked by joy, sadness, anger, fear, and guilt all fighting for control while you’re just trying to get everyone dressed and fed. All feelings are needed and valid but some take over and when they do, problems happen. Watching it feels like someone finally put your brain on screen. It’s hilarious, heartbreakingly true and a great example of the power of acknowledging our feelings.
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
I once lived on the side of Mrs. Doubtfire’s character. Robin Williams, say what? But after becoming a mom and living through the reality of being the default parent who was “on” all the time, carried the mental load for everyone and became “no fun”, I found myself changing sides. Motherhood is hard. Everyone assumes we should carry it all and this movie shows just how much moms get painted as the bad guy, when they are literally trying to just be responsible parents. Still, this movie is a great exploration of love, gender roles, and the need for parents to truly connect with their kids. Like Honest Motherhood, it teaches us important lessons about life and what matters most using reality, humor, and the imperfect characters we are all as parents.
Freaky Friday (2003)
If you’ve ever wished you could trade places with your kid for just one day to truly understand each other, this movie is for you. Freaky Friday is a chaotic, hilarious, and surprisingly tender reminder that the parent-child relationship is messy, emotional, and often exhausting. At the same time, it’s also full of laughter and love. Like Honest Motherhood, the story reminds us that not only are kids actually full people, but so are moms. We all have our own needs, perspectives and a desire to be valued and understood.
The Glass Castle (2017)
Technically, The Glass Castle was a book first. When I read it, it was the first time I’d engaged with a story from an adult whose childhood reflected similarities to my own. In Honest Motherhood I share about the countless moves throughout my childhood and unpredictable mom. Like in the movie The Glass Castle, my memoir dives into the complicated relationship I have with my mother and the ceaseless hope I had that something might change. The Glass Castle is about surviving imperfect, complicated parents, carving out your own path, and learning how to love them without letting their mistakes define you. While it has lighthearted moments, it’s a movie with heavier themes—but important ones nonetheless.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Bridget Jones’s Diary is a salve to every weird girl’s soul. Bridget’s endearing, embarrassingly honest and earnest character is so relatable you cannot help but love her. The problems she finds herself in and her own toxic behaviors remind us that we’re all a little bit messed up but still worthy of love. Like Honest Motherhood, this movie is hilarious in a painfully relatable way. Watching Bridget stumble, overthink, and somehow survive reminds us all that that imperfection isn’t just okay, it’s actually quite normal.