Christine Gunderson picks 4 movies to pair with ‘Behind White Picket Fences’
In Pairings, artists and creators pick the movies that complement their latest work.
Christine Gunderson is the author of Friends With Secrets and the new novel Behind White Picket Fences, which publishes on June 9 wherever you get your books!
We asked Christine to pick a few movies that pair well with Behind White Picket Fences. Here’s what she wrote about them.
Bad Moms
Bad Moms is an over-the-top fever dream exploring the insane expectations for modern mothers, and more importantly, what could happen if mothers chucked those expectations out the window. This same idea lurks at the core of Behind White Picket Fences. What would happen if moms said no to travel sports, activities, school, homework and dropped out the modern parenting rat race for one year? Just like in Bad Moms, this search for sanity leads to community and the ride-or-die friendships every mother needs to survive motherhood.
Lady Bird
This beautiful movie examines the selfless patience and the relentless push and pull of raising small humans to adulthood. A chaotic, unpredictable process where rules and boundaries are followed by rebellion, and rebellion is countered with consequences and unconditional love. It’s an examination of the relationship between parents and teenagers, and between mothers and daughters. It’s a vivid portrait of the aching love we feel for our kids, even in those difficult moments when we question our decision to have children in the first place.
Don’t Worry Darling
This dark psychological thriller forces us to look at the seemingly idyllic past, where women spent their days at home baking apple pies and wearing aprons while men went out to earn a living. When they find a diary from 1965, the modern-day moms in Behind White Picket Fences must re-examine their unrealistic expectations for themselves, and the era that spawned those expectations.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
My kids loved this 2014 adaptation of the beloved children’s book of the same name. Even though I’ve seen it countless times, it never fails to make me laugh out loud. Starring Jennifer Garner and Steve Carell, this hilarious movie shows us what can happen when families attempt to do it all, simultaneously. It’s a family-friendly parody of modern family life and an examination of what happens when we worship the cult of business. The moms in Behind White Picket Fences are seeking peace and the kind of laid-back childhood they experienced as kids. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a fantastic and completely over-the-top reminder of where things can lead when we do the opposite.