There’s something about settling in for a movie night that makes Mother’s Day feel even more special. Whether you’re planning a cozy night in or looking for a low-key way to spend time together, the right pick can turn a simple evening into a memory everyone loves.
The best Mother’s Day movies capture what the day is really about—family, connection, and the many different ways motherhood shows up in our lives. From laugh-out-loud comedies to heartfelt stories about moms, daughters, and everything in between, these are the films that bring everyone to the couch (and maybe a few happy tears, too).
However you choose to celebrate, sometimes the simplest plans end up meaning the most. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best Mother’s Day movies for families, kids, and moms alike—so all that’s left to do is press play.
Need the Mother’s Day gift inspo? Don’t forget to shop our 2026 Mother’s Day Gift Guide with something for all the moms!
Looking for ways to celebrate the moms in your life? Click here to visit our full guide to Mother’s Day!
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How to Choose the Best Mother’s Day Movie
It all depends on who’s sitting down to watch a movie together! For younger kids, a fun animated movie or comedy will keep everyone engaged. For adults, nostalgic favorites or tearjerkers are a great pick, creating meaningful Mother’s Day moments full of warmth and connection. Whatever your audience, the right movie can turn a simple night in into a celebration of family and motherhood. And for me, you can never go wrong with Mamma Mia!
Funny Mother’s Day Movies Everyone Will Love
1. The Princess Diaries
Rated: G | Where to Watch: Disney+
Arguably a modern-day classic, The Princess Diaries is pleasant to watch from beginning to end. Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) discovers she is a princess of the fictional country Genovia, and her estranged grandmother Clarisse (Julie Andrews) takes her under her wing to get her in tip-top shape for all her newfound princess duties. The connection between Mia and Clarisse blossoms as the films goes on, and the grandmother role of Clarisse to Mia is both nurturing and refreshing.
Can’t get enough? Lucky for you, the sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, is just as cute and Disney recently announced that a third Princess Diaries movies is in the works!
2. Troop Beverly Hills
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video
With its clever storyline and hilarious yet heartwarming mom-worthy moments, this landmark comedy featuring Shelley Long is absolutely perfect for Mother’s Day. Phyllis is a woman accustomed to luxury, so when she takes over her daughter’s Wilderness Girls troop, it comes as no surprise that traditional outdoorsy skills aren’t her specialty. Determined to succeed in her new role as den mother, however, she’s got a different agenda. Enter a whole new glammed out approach to camping and skill building that teaches her troop’s girls the art of survival in Beverly Hills.
3. The Parent Trap
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Disney+
I first was introduced to this zany comedy through the Hayley Mills version from 1961. It made me long for summer camp and for sure think I had a twin out there in the world I didn’t know about and they probably would be British. The update didn’t disappoint, either! When Annie and Hallie (both played by a young Lindsay Lohan) accidentally meet at summer camp, they uncover that they are, in fact, secretly twins separated at a young age. In hopes of meeting their one estranged parent (and getting them back together), Annie and Hallie switch places at the end of camp, and hijinks ensue.
4. Freaky Friday
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Disney+
This was one of my favorites growing up. What young kid doesn’t want adults to understand just how hard it is to be young? But now, on the other side of things, I love that the kids get to figure out how hard it is to be the parents, too. So it’s got something fun for everyone! Single mom Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and teenage daughter Anna (played by Lindsay Lohan) are getting on each other’s last nerve. After a strange fortune, they find themselves in each other’s bodies. Until they can find a solution, they have to play each other’s parts. Will they get to the end of the day without ruining each other’s lives?
Ready for a double feature? Twenty years after the original premiered, stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan returned to the big screen for 2025’s Freakier Friday, which is also streaming on Disney+!
5. Yes Day
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Netflix
Yes Day is about exactly what the title suggests—a day of yesses to all your kid wishes when perhaps your parents would otherwise say no. Does it turn as untamed and chaotic as you might expect? Not necessarily! This is a silly watch with kids that the whole family is bound to get a kick out of. With Jennifer Garner playing the mom, the film has an added shine thanks to her reliably genuine, sunny, and bubbly acting. Just be prepared, you might be planting a seed to have your own day of saying yes to everything ahead of you.
6. Cheaper By the Dozen
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Disney+
What could be livelier than mothering a family of 12? Or 13 if you include your partner. Just kidding, obviously! But if you’re looking for Mother’s Day family movies with that ideal blend of lighthearted humor alongside some reflective takeaways, then this one with Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, and Hilary Duff as frontrunners is meant for your queue. Each of the 12 Baker kids has a defining drama to empathize with, and both of their parents, who have made compromises in order to place their family above everything else, have relatable dilemmas you’ll appreciate.
7. The Perfect Man
Rating: PG | Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
A fun watch for moms and daughters, The Perfect Man stars some big names like Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear, and Chris Noth. When it comes to love, Jean (Locklear) can’t seem to catch a break. And after each heartwrenching breakup, she moves herself and her two daughters somewhere new. When her eldest daughter Holly (Duff) gets sick of moving and wants to make a home in New York, she begins plotting. She fabricates an online secret admirer for her mother, but could have never known just how quickly and heavily her mom would fall for the lie.
8. 13 Going On 30
Rated PG-13 | Where to Watch: Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video
As you curl up to decide on your Mother’s Day family movies, how about giving your kiddos a taste of what adulting is really like? They might think it’s all about having freedom and power, but if only our teenagers had a clue what else we adults have to endure. This beloved Jennifer Garner flick offers a playful and amusing glimpse of this youthful fantasy by portraying what happens when suddenly you go from age 13 to 30 overnight. Full of warmth, good feels, and stellar performances by Garner and Mark Ruffalo (her character’s love interest), it’s one of those cheerful rom-coms that will leave you smiling.
9. Mother’s Day
Rated: PG-13 | Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Of course we had to include Mother’s Day on this list of the best Mother’s Day family movies. From the producers who brought us Valentine’s Day and Pretty Woman comes an equally as enjoyable tale with another star-studded cast. In this lighthearted comedy, the week leading up to Mother’s Day is more chaotic than imagined for four intersecting families. Four women, each with their own struggles, deal with the trials of motherhood and the holiday becomes more important than ever.
10. Mom’s Day Away
Rated: Age 11+ | Where to Watch: Apple TV+
While hopefully you’re enjoying the time to spend Mother’s Day with the fam, no one’s judging you if you’ve also secretly dreamed of carving out some solo time to celebrate yourself. Well, here’s the chance to live that fantasy vicariously whether you get to do so or not!
Laura, a stay-at-home mom, opts for a day of pampering followed by a resort getaway when she’s disappointed by her family’s unappreciative and unenthusiastic approach to Mother’s Day. But is a party without your loved ones there to celebrate really all it’s cracked up to be?
Heartwarming Mother’s Day Movies
11. Little Women (2019)
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video
It doesn’t get more mom-centric than the story of a mother’s four enchanting daughters as they each blossom from girlhood to womanhood in their own creative way. When taken together, the March sisters are a little bit of everything—refined and elegant, bold and rebellious, lovers and dreamers.
Set during a time when women faced many constraints compared to what we enjoy today, this iconic story adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel reveals a more empowered POV that we can all cheer for. The 1994 version is another touching watch, and will also be appealing if you’re a fan of ’90s Winona Ryder movies.
12. Mamma Mia!
Rating: PG-13 | Where to Watch: Peacock
While single mother Donna prepares for her daughter Sophie’s wedding on the Greek island they live on, Sophie has plans of her own. Without her mother’s knowledge, she secretly invites three men to the wedding knowing that they all have the chance of being her father. This island musical and ensemble cast are must-sees. As one of the most musical of the Mother’s Day family movies, this one will leave everyone in the mood to sing.
With a great ABBA soundtrack behind it, Mamma Mia! is truly fun for everyone. Meryl Streep steals the show as Donna, and Amanda Seyfried takes our breath away with her singing as daughter Sophie. Not only does it highlight the importance of a mother in one’s life, but it also shows how influential a strong group of friends can be in your child’s life (we’re looking at you, Dynamos!).
13. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Rated: PG-13 | Where to Watch: Apple TV+
If the first one wasn’t enough fun in the sun for you, make it a double feature! Diving into Donna’s backstory and her relationship with her mom (Cher!), this sequel is everything you could wish for. More ABBA, more Greece, more female friendships and just the right amount of Meryl.
14. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Rated: PG-13 | Where to Watch: Apple TV+
If you’re a mom who grew up loving Judy Blume’s memorable coming-of-age book during your girlhood or adolescence, then this film adaptation starring Rachel McAdams as Margaret’s mom and Kathy Bates as her grandmother is a true treat. Even if you aren’t familiar with the story, it’s definitely a worthwhile watch full of quirk and charm about finding yourself within the awkward space of puberty. Overall, it does a really nice job preserving a certain sweet innocence, while touching on the real dilemmas you face during that emotionally turbulent preteen to teen transition.
15. The Blind Side
Rated: PG-13 | Where to Watch: Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video
A list of the best Mother’s Day family movies would be incomplete without a tear-jerker or two, and The Blind Side is just that. Based on a true story, The Blind Side portrays the story of football star Michael Oher and his journey to the NFL. A troubled teen, Michael finds himself struggling both inside and outside of school. When he meets Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), she and her family take him in and eventually she and her husband become his legal guardians. Both Michael’s and the Tuohys’ lives are changed forever by the union. This sweet story reminds us that family doesn’t necessarily mean blood-related.
16. Because I Said So
Rated: PG-13 | Where to Watch: Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video
Many of us have heard our own mother’s speak this phrase a time or two, and are probably guilty of using it on our own little ones more than we’d like to admit. But, if you ask us, it holds true because, like she also said, mother almost always knows best. Like any mother, Daphne Wilder (Diane Keaton) would do anything for her three daughters. It pains her to see her youngest, Milly (Mandy Moore), date the wrong men over and over again. That’s why she takes it upon herself to save the day. But, when she puts out a personal ad on Milly’s behalf, disaster strikes.
17. Barbie
Rated: PG-13 | Where to Watch: HBO Max
Mothers and daughters everywhere have certainly flocked to see Barbie, and perhaps you’ve already crossed it off your must-watch list. But if you haven’t, or you’re due for a rewatch, Barbie is always a highly entertaining choice for a family flick. From bright songs and dance moves to gorgeous costumes and scenery, and then obviously, Barbie’s charisma and the inspiring storyline, it’s an all-around success. With it being Mother’s Day, the plot’s included mother-daughter angle makes it an extra fitting watch for the occasion, too.
18. Terms of Endearment
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Paramount+ on Amazon Prime
Terms of Endearment is a timeless story of the love, challenges, and humor shared between a mother and her daughter over the years. Starring Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger in one of the most iconic mother-daughter duos in film history. Prepare for tears with this classic movie for adults that celebrates the deep bond between moms and their children.
19. Stepmom
Rated: PG-13 | Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
You can’t have a list of Mother’s Day movies without Stepmom. I cry every time I watch this movie. With amazing performances by Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandom this tearjerker celebrates the many forms of motherhood and how love and family can show up in unexpected ways.
20. Becoming
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Netflix
Besides being an exceptional leading lady in her own right, most of us are familiar with Michelle Obama’s dedicated efforts as both a mother and a humanitarian leader—akin to a community mother—for children of all backgrounds. This documentary is a captivating opportunity to discover her roots, witness her in action, and engage in thoughtful dialogues around girlhood, leadership, and embracing and sharing your gifts.
21. Wonder
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Netflix
Auggie Pullman has a rare medical facial deformity and has gone under many extensive surgeries. As he approaches the fifth grade, his parents enroll him in school as opposed to his previous home-schooling. Auggie navigates school like any other fifth grader would: making new friends, learning new concepts, and, unfortunately, experiencing bullying. As Auggie and his family navigate this change, they experience a series of ups and downs but ultimately find comfort within each other and new friends. Wonder is a sweet movie that exemplifies the importance of sticking together. The book is a great read too!
22. Enola Holmes
Rated: PG-13 | Where to Watch: Netflix
This is a coming-of-age-adventure film the whole family will love. When her mother mysteriously vanishes on her sixteenth birthday, Enola Holmes—the younger sister of the famous Sherlock Holmes—must become a super sleuth overnight. Though the central mystery drives the plot, Enola’s unconditional love for her mother is her largest motivator throughout the movie, no matter what obstacles she may be facing. There’s a second Enola Holmes film available to stream as well, and a third installment is in the works too!
Animated Mother’s Day Movies for Kids
23. Brave
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Disney+
Merida, the daughter of Scottish royals, is stubborn and defiant. Her stubbornness lands her in trouble with the Highland lords and she seeks help from a witch. Of course, trouble ensues, and she and her mother find themselves in a very eccentric situation. A princess movie with a twist, Brave exemplifies a young girl’s stead-heartedness and eagerness for adventure. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting when I watched it the first time around, but the story and message will stick with me forever.
24. Turning Red
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Disney+
Mei Lee wants to be the perfect daughter in her mother’s eyes, but she also wants to explore her youth and cultivate her self-interests. When the 13-year-old finds herself literally turning into a big red panda when she gets too excited, she finds new ways to attempt to honor her family as well as pursue her passions.
The mother-daughter dynamic in the movie touches upon important milestones in a young teenager’s life. From a first period to learning that you’re not always going to please your mother, this is one of those Mother’s Day family movies that can bring you closer together, while still being lighthearted and silly enough to keep ya’ll feeling breezy.
25. Incredibles 2
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Disney+
When the Incredibles’ mom, Elastigirl, is asked to become the new face of superheroes to make the world fall in love with them again, Mr. Incredible stays home with the kids. Of the animated Mother’s Day family movies, this may be one of our favorites.
Sometimes, you can fall into a sequel trap, but The Incredibles 2 certainly delivered. Plus, this focuses on how families can change their structure and dynamic as new challenges come up. Once a working father, Mr. Incredible becomes the stay-at-home dad while Elastigirl is traveling for work. They have to learn to balance a new dynamic, and I love that they leaned into switching parenting roles and how to learn about that as a family.
26. Pachamama
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Netflix
The story follows a young boy, Tepulpai, on the precipice of growing up in the time of the Incas and the Spanish explorers. Tepulpai is excited for his future as a shaman until he is told by his community that he is not meant to be a Great One. But when the village is in trouble, Tepulpai steps up to show everyone what he truly is inside of him.
This film was such a sweet little gem to find when scrolling through Netflix. The movie’s title, Pachamama, refers to an earth-mother goddess from the indigenous people of the Andes. Honoring our Mother Earth is a theme in the movie, along with the lovely message: Just because people don’t see yourself the way you do, it doesn’t mean they are right.
27. Encanto
Rated: PG | Where to Watch: Disney+
Celebrate the magic of family with Encanto, Disney’s animated hit about the extraordinary Madrigal family. Each family member has a special gift, but it’s Mirabel—without a magical power—who reminds us that love, understanding, and support are what truly make a family strong. With heartfelt messages about mother-daughter relationships, this Mother’s Day movie sparks meaningful conversations about family bonds. It’s sure to leave everyone with a smile by the end.
28. Migration
Rated: G | Where to Watch: Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video
Join a fun-spirited family of ducks as they debate whether or not to head on an epic adventure to broaden their horizons. Like with any family adventure that pushes your unit out of its comfort zone, while it’s not easy peasy the entire time, the satisfying ends certainly justify the character-building means. What’s especially refreshing for Mother’s Day’s sake is that Migration’s dad, Mack, is cast as the anxious and reluctant parent, while the mom, Pam, is portrayed as the more daring and encouraging one.
Classic Mother’s Day Movies
29. The Sound of Music
Rated: G | Where to Watch: Disney+
You can’t go wrong cozying up to this timeless Julie Andrews classic as you debate between mother’s day family movies to watch together. Based on a true story, her character, Maria, is sent to be the governess of the seven von Trapp children. They’ve lost both their parents, so she’s essentially a mother figure, infusing their lives with joy, kindness, and of course, uplifting music. While older movies can be hit or miss with kids these days, the catchy songs, happy moments, and messages of hope woven throughout make this one lovable all around.
30. The Joy Luck Club
Rated: R | Where to Watch: Apple TV+
Based on the best-selling novel, The Joy Luck Club explores the complex and emotional relationships between mothers and daughters. This multi-generational story celebrates family, culture, and the enduring influence of moms. Perfect as a Mother’s Day movie for adults or older teenagers, it’s both touching and thought-provoking, making it a timeless pick for honoring motherhood.
31. Steel Magnolias
Rated: R | Where to Watch: Paramount+ on Amazon Prime
Sally Field’s M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias captures the strength of motherhood like very few performances. This movie blends humor and heart in a story about strong women, family, and friendship. With unforgettable performances (Dolly Parton! Julia Roberts!) and touching moments, it’s a classic Mother’s Day movie for adults.
Mother’s Day Movies FAQ
What are the best Mother’s Day movies for families?
If you’re watching a movie with younger kids, try one of the many animated films on this list. You also can’t go wrong with Freaky Friday or The Parent Trap for all ages!
What are good movies to watch with mom?
For older kids and mom, I love Mamma Mia! But the best selection from this watch list is truly up to you and your family’s vibes for the day.
Are there kid-friendly Mother’s Day movies?
The many animated films on this list are super kid-friendly. Encanto, Turning Red, and Incredibles 2 are all great options!
Katherine Ballesta-Rosen, Former Editorial Intern
Besides being an avid reader and writer since girlhood, Katherine decided to kick her literacy-laden background up a notch by receiving her Master’s in teaching, and went on to teach English Language Arts to high schoolers for several years. As a former intern at The Everymom, Katherine wrote about topics such as maternal wellness, sex and relationships, and more.
Roberta Correia, Editor-in-Chief
Roberta is an editor with 10+ years experience in content strategy and brand building. Before joining The Everymom she was Editorial Director at Brides and previously served as Digital Editor at Women’s Wear Daily. She grew up in Brazil and currently calls Brooklyn home with her son, Lucas.
