‘Con Mum’ (2025) Netflix Review - The Title Says It All

When Graham Hornigold, a pastry chef who has been a judge on Junior Bake Off and has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, got an email from his long-lost mother, he expectedly became excited. Graham and his now ex-wife Heather Kaniuk had put in much effort to find the former's mom, but their search led them nowhere. Hence, they were shocked to see that email. Graham, of course, verified the person's identity by asking them personal questions. The lady, surprisingly, answered all of them. This is why, as soon as Graham came face-to-face with the 80-year-old Dionne, he immediately hugged her. A story like this is embraced by the social media crowd who seek "positive, life-affirming content." Graham's life could have been turned into a heart-emoji-worthy reel or post. I can almost see the caption: Life is full of surprises. Or maybe something along the lines of "This man met his mother after 45 years, and what happened next will fill you with warmth." Cue a cute "mother-son hanging out" photo montage.

Graham did spend a couple of months in paradise. One of his friends, Juan, compares the chef's behavior to that of a little child. But Graham and Dionne's reunion also resembles a crazy fairy tale. The woman not only brings joy into her son's life but also promises to make him a millionaire. How many of you have fantasized about waking up one day to discover that you are the child of a wealthy businessman? All Graham has to do is wait for Dionne to sort out the paperwork with her lawyers. During this waiting period, they stay in five-star hotels because Dionne has expensive tastes. She gifts one car each to Graham and Heather and frequently orders pricey food and beverages. Dionne buys luxurious brands, and the bills keep crossing insane numbers. After informing Graham that she has only six months to live due to terminal cancer, Dionne goes to Zurich (with her son) to sort out paperwork related to property and the bank. She wants to transfer all her assets to Graham. Again, a five-star hotel is booked, and what was supposed to be a four-day trip is extended due to delays. The numbers on the bills, on the other hand, continue to rise and rise.

Has Graham fallen for a scam? Juan is probably the first person to realize that Dionne is a scammer (she asks him for some cash and tells him to keep this request a secret from Graham). Heather also faces hostile behavior from Dionne when she starts asking her questions. Graham, however, remains blind and obedient. He is so desperate to be loved by his mother that he ignores the warnings of his wife and his friends. Director Nick Green has shaped this documentary in such a way that one sees Dionne and Heather and thinks that mothers can be gentle as well as cruel. The former leaves her husband to fully focus on her son and surround him with wonderful people, while the latter exploits her offspring for comfort and wealth. From a distance, we can pass comments like, "Graham should have taken Dionne to a hospital. This would have exposed the lie about the cancer." I might have been one of those individuals, but I have seen how scammers brainwash their victims. It becomes impossible to open a victim's eye through facts and logical arguments. I have lost many such battles. Scams destroy personal relationships because the target chooses to believe a stranger and ignores the advice of his friends and family members. However, there is a neat twist in Graham's story, which I won't spoil here. I recommend going into Con Mum with no knowledge about the real-life incident. That revelation renders the entire story more heartbreaking, more cheerless. Life, indeed, is full of surprises. I guess if Con Mum were a post or a reel, the words, "This man met his mother after 45 years, and what happened next will blow your head," would have been followed by a bleak narration.

Final Score- [6.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times