It's a strange kind of coincidence that trying to find out more about a family member you didn’t really know can end up being a journey of self-discovery. That’s what happened to actress Mariska Hargitay, daughter of screen legend Jayne Mansfield (1933-1967), who directed this new and revealing HBO documentary exploring her connection—or lack thereof—with the famous mother she lost in a car accident when she was only three years old. Mansfield, one of the most recognizable movie stars of the 1950s and ʼ60s, was shaped by Hollywood into an iconic blonde bombshell similar to Marilyn Monroe, often cast as a naive but alluring sex symbol. Despite this limiting typecasting, however, Mansfield had ambitions to be taken seriously as an actress, someone capable of more substantial roles. She also wanted to showcase her lesser-known talents as a skilled violinist and pianist, abilities that were frequently minimized as part of her one-dimensional studio image. She was also a devoted mother—at least to her first three children. As the youngest, Mariska often received less attention than her siblings, which contributed to her feeling that she barely knew her mother during their brief time together. The film illustrates how Mariska arrived on the scene at a point when her mother was dealing with personal difficulties, having been married three times and experienced several tumultuous relationships that frequently left Mansfield’s youngest daughter feeling overlooked. This documentary is, therefore, a quest for the filmmaker to better understand the past she barely knew and why it unfolded as it did. Mansfield is brought back to life through archival footage, interviews with Hargitay’s older siblings and her mother's longtime publicist, and a revealing look into a family storage locker (sealed since 1969) where artifacts from the actress’s life are discovered, creating a vivid picture of Jayne’s remarkable life and career. Through this process of investigation, Hargitay begins to understand why her mother’s life—and, consequently, her own life—developed as it did. The film offers an insightful, intimate, and deeply personal portrait of a Hollywood icon who, like Monroe, had very different public and private personas: one that was well-known (though somewhat artificial) and another that few people outside of her closest circle (and even some within it) knew much about. As a result, the documentary is both eye-opening for viewers and for the filmmaker herself. “My Mom Jayne” makes for a compelling watch because of how much it unexpectedly reveals about someone many in the public thought they already knew, along with the surprising details that emerge as Mansfield’s personal story unfolds on screen. There are moments where the chronology of Mansfield’s life isn't always presented as clearly as one might expect, but there’s a reason for this, which becomes apparent as her story progresses. Overall, though, this touching memoir carefully reconstructs the complicated yet heartbreaking relationship between a mother and daughter whose bond has taken years to surface and with which the filmmaker has struggled to understand and accept. Sometimes life isn't what we think it is, but occasionally, it also turns out to be something unexpectedly special. That’s the journey Hargitay takes through this film, and audiences should appreciate her willingness to share that profoundly personal exploration with us, especially if it helps illuminate our own experiences in the same way it has done for her.

Source on TMDB