The Second Mother
A poignant social drama that simmers with quiet rebellion, visually framed by the invisible lines of class that divide a Brazilian home.
The Second Mother
The Second Mother

Que Horas Ela Volta?

04 June 2015 Brazil 112 min ⭐ 8.0 (756)
Director: Anna Muylaert
Cast: Regina Casé, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli, Michel Joelsas
Drama
Social Class and Inequality Motherhood and Family Generational Conflict and Social Change

The Second Mother - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

Eu não me acho melhor que ninguém, Val. Mas eu também não me acho pior.

— Jéssica

Context:

This is said during a heated argument between Jéssica and Val. Val accuses her daughter of acting superior and not knowing her place, and Jéssica's response calmly refutes this, framing her actions not as arrogance, but as a simple assertion of her own equal worth.

Meaning:

Translated as, "I don't think I'm better than anyone, Val. But I don't think I'm worse either." This line is the cornerstone of Jéssica's philosophy and the film's central conflict. It perfectly encapsulates the generational shift from acceptance of social hierarchy to a demand for basic equality and self-respect.

Parece que tem gente que já nasce sabendo o que pode e o que não pode fazer.

— Val

Context:

Val says this to Jéssica as she tries to explain the unspoken rules of the house. She is frustrated and bewildered by her daughter's inability to simply understand and accept the invisible lines that Val has navigated her entire adult life.

Meaning:

Translated as, "It seems some people are born knowing what they can and cannot do." This quote reveals Val's deeply internalized sense of social hierarchy. She believes that class boundaries are a natural, innate part of life's order.