However, not all mother-son relationships are portrayed as healthy or positive. In some narratives, this bond can be toxic, marked by abuse, manipulation, and trauma. The film The Witch (2015), directed by Robert Eggers, is a haunting example of a destructive mother-son relationship, where Thomasin's (Anya Taylor-Joy) overbearing and controlling mother contributes to a sense of paranoia and fear.
The 1990s indie film boom offered a more balanced view. James L. Brooks’s Terms of Endearment (1983) centered on a mother-daughter bond, but its spiritual cousin, Spanglish (2004), features a poignant mother-son subplot where the son, a sensitive boy, acts as a translator and emotional shield for his Spanish-speaking mother. The power dynamic begins to shift: the son becomes the protector.
: A "suffocating" presence that prevents the son's independence. The most iconic example is Norma Bates