The Second Mother 2015

Val is introduced as a dedicated young woman monitoring a small boy, Fabinho, as he swims in a pool. During a phone call, she reaches out to her hesitant daughter, only to be reminded of their strained relationship. After Fabinho’s swim, Val lovingly wraps him in a towel, providing comfort and warmth on her lap. Transitioning to the present, we see a middle-aged Val, portrayed by Regina Casé, who still cares for her now-teenage son Fabinho, played by Michel Joelsas, while working as the live-in housekeeper for the reserved Dr. Carlos and his demanding wife, Dona Barbara.

Amidst a flurry of emotions, Val is caught off guard by a call from her daughter, Jessica, expressing her desire to visit São Paulo from her rural upbringing. Nervous yet hopeful, Val presents Dona Barbara with a birthday gift, prompting a reluctant agreement for Jessica to stay with them until arrangements can be made for her own living space. In a buzz of excitement at the airport, Val eagerly anticipates Jessica’s arrival, but is met with the cold address of “Val” instead of “Mother.” Their reunion is bittersweet; while Val showers Jessica with affection, it is largely unreciprocated.

As they travel home on a bus, Jessica’s discomfort grows upon discovering they will be staying in Barbara’s home. Once in Val’s cramped room, tensions mount as Jessica expresses concern over her study environment. The situation escalates further when Barbara, initially pleased to meet Jessica, quickly shows her disapproval as Jessica’s assertiveness contrasts sharply with Val’s expected subservience. This strain manifests during a casual outing where Fabinho and his friend playfully toss Jessica into the pool—a confrontation that leads to Barbara’s extreme reaction of threatening to drain it over claims of a rat sighting.

As more conflicts arise, Jessica learns of a promising apartment, but their hopes dwindle when they discover it has already been rented. Further complications ensue when Carlos makes an unexpected marriage proposal to Jessica, which she brushes off as a joke. Simultaneously, Barbara forbids Jessica from enjoying ice cream, leading to an uncomfortable household dynamic. A heated argument breaks out one night, igniting years of buried resentment and exposing the emotional scars from Val’s absence during Jessica’s upbringing.

In the aftermath, both Fabinho and Jessica take their college entrance exams, with Jessica achieving success while Fabinho narrowly misses out. Soon, Fabinho announces an exciting opportunity to spend six months in Australia. Following this revelation, Val, choosing a new path, resigns her position and moves in with Jessica, suggesting that Jessica’s baby boy, Jorge, join them. Beaming with happiness, Jessica asks, “Are you going to take care of him, mother?” To which Val responds with a broad smile, signaling a hopeful reconciliation.