‘Because I Said So’ on Prime Video: Why Mandy Moore’s First Major Grown-Up Role is Worth a Rewatch

Just in time to face your family’s nosy questions about your relationships (or lack thereof), plans for babies (or lack thereof), and general life direction (or again, lack thereof), Because I Said So is available on Prime Video to ease the pain. The film about a mother (Diane Keaton) and her three daughters (Lauren Graham, Piper Perabo, and Mandy Moore) is not only the perfect movie to watch with your favorite female family members (you know, in hopes that they pick up the hint), but also the first real grown-up role for Mandy Moore, one that certainly set her on the path that’s led her to the role of Rebecca on This Is Us.

Up until this point, Moore had been cast as teenagers and young women just on the verge of entering adulthood in her film roles, including A Walk to Remember, Saved!, and American Dreamz, carving out a nice acting career for herself alongside her other job as a musician. But Because I Said So was the first time we saw Moore as a for real young woman, one who’s got a job and a passion, who’s working on her career, and doing that fun thing we know as figuring out any semblance of a personal life as well. As Milly, she’s got her romantic entanglements, and while those are a lot of fun to watch, there’s also the all too relatable aspect of navigating her relationship with her mother and sisters.

Because I Said So expertly puts the complications of mother-daughter relationships on blast, which includes the joys of quiet (and not so quiet) judgements, nitpicking, and the butting in that comes with the territory. This one also points out the obvious, that being sisters with Moore, Graham, and Perabo, with Keaton as a mom, seems like it could have its real highlights. But more importantly, this film, released in 2007, featured four fantastic females front and center, and has no problem passing the Bechdel test.

Because I Said So was also progressive in the way it allowed Milly to explore relationships with two men, weighing the pros and cons of her physical and emotional connections to them both. Moore is simply great in the role, one that’s entirely worth revisiting, especially this time of year. She’s as effervescent as ever, while also nailing the frustrating and emotional moments like a total pro.

This movie wisely figured out a way to be incredibly sexy and fun by inserting the rom-com elements we all love, while also serving as a poignant and specific reminder of how tricky and sticky family relationships can be. It’s nice when someone wants the best for you; it’s harder when what’s best for you is them getting out of the way. But what’s undoubtedly best for us all, is a rewatch of this movie.

Where to stream Because I Said So