Warning: The following contains spoilers from the movie The Mother.
Jennifer Lopez's character in The Mother oddly doesn't have a name. The film premiered on Netflix on May 12 and received average reviews. The movie follows the tough decisions Lopez's nameless character must make to protect her daughter, who she gave up when she realized they wouldn't be safe together. Lopez plays a U.S. operative in constant danger, which also puts her daughter Zoe in danger. The film explores the sacrifices mothers must make for their children and was released right in time for Mother's Day.
Even though Lopez's character doesn't want to give up her daughter, she does it because it's the safer option. Sometimes mothers' decisions are not ideal, but they have to do what's best for their children, even if they don't want to. Lopez is the main character in the film, so it's unusual she doesn't have a name, but it also goes well with the plot.
The Mother's Themes Explain Why Jennifer Lopez' Character Has No Name
Lopez's purpose in the film is that she is a mother. Even though she's also a U.S. operative, her daughter is her number one priority. The point of the movie is to showcase the sacrifices that come with motherhood, so it makes sense Lopez is simply referred to as The Mother.
Even though Zoe doesn't live with her mother, and they spend 12 years apart, Lopez's character's main priority is her daughter. She will do anything to keep her safe, no matter how difficult. Lopez may be crucial to the film's plot, but her name isn't because she's playing the role of a mother.
Why Jennifer Lopez' Character In The Mother Doesn't Need A Name
Lopez doesn't need a name in The Mother because that title already says enough about her character. Being a mother is an important and powerful job, and the film explores this. The title "The Mother" is incredibly powerful and shows the strength of Lopez's character. Even though Zoe has spent her life with a foster family and she returns to them at the end of The Mother, Lopez's character is her biological mother, and they are able to form a bond when they reunite.
Her title suggests that no matter how far away they might be from each other, who Zoe is living with, or who is raising Zoe, Lopez's character will always be her mother. She will always love her, and she will always do whatever she has to to protect her. The Mother didn't need to give Lopez a name because the title gave enough context for the character.