If you hopped on Netflix looking for a sugary, sentimental holiday flick and clicked on Mother's Day (2023), you probably got a massive shock. This isn't Jennifer Aniston in a sun-drenched suburban comedy. It’s a dark, bone-crunching Polish actioner titled Dzień Matki in its home country. Basically, it’s what happens when you mix John Wick with a very pissed-off parent who happens to be a former NATO special agent.
The cast of Mother's Day 2023 is led by a woman who looks like she hasn't slept in three years, and honestly, that’s exactly the vibe the movie needs. We aren't talking about "Hollywood gritty" here; we’re talking "broken glass and concrete" gritty.
The Heavy Hitters: Who Plays Who?
Agnieszka Grochowska is the engine of this whole thing. She plays Nina Nowak. Nina isn’t your average "cool mom." She’s a ghost. She faked her own death years ago to keep her son, Maks, safe from the enemies she made during her time in special ops. She spends her days living in a dumpy apartment, drinking beer, and stalking her son’s social media from afar like a high-tech voyeur.
Then there's the kid. Adrian Delikta plays Maks. He’s just a normal teenager who likes skateboarding and has no clue his biological mom is a walking weapon. When he gets snatched up by a gang of criminals, the movie stops being a character study and turns into a demolition derby.
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Meet the Villains and Allies
It’s a weirdly colorful cast for such a dark movie. You’ve got:
- Szymon Wróblewski as Woltomierz (Voltmeter): He’s the flamboyant, unhinged gangster who thinks he’s way more important than he actually is. He killed his own father to take over the business, which tells you everything you need to know about his personality.
- Dariusz Chojnacki as Igor: This is Nina’s old contact. He’s that classic "insider" character who knows where the bodies are buried. He provides the intel Nina needs to start her rampage.
- Dorota Kolak as Matka (The Mother): No, not that mother. She’s a corrupt government official and the real power behind the scenes. She and Nina have history, and it isn't the "let's grab coffee" kind.
Why the Cast of Mother's Day 2023 Works
Most action movies fail because the lead looks like they just stepped out of a hair salon after a ten-man brawl. Grochowska doesn't do that. She looks exhausted. She gets bruised. She gets cut. By the end of the film, she looks like she’s been through a blender.
The supporting cast is packed with veterans of Polish cinema. Sebastian Dela plays a character named "Teleskop" (Telescope), and Konrad Eleryk shows up as Tytus, a henchman who handles the dirty work for the human trafficking side of the gang's "business."
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What’s interesting is how the movie treats Maks’s adoptive parents. Paulina Chruściel and Paweł Koślik play the foster mother and father. Often in these movies, the "real" parents are treated as fodder or ignored, but here, they represent the normal life Nina can never have. It adds a layer of sadness to all the neck-snapping.
Director Mateusz Rakowicz’s Vision
Rakowicz isn't interested in making a boring, gray Eastern European drama. He uses the cast to lean into some seriously stylized violence. There’s a scene involving carrots—yes, carrots—that you won't forget anytime soon. He and co-writer Łukasz M. Maciejewski previously worked on The Getaway King, and you can see that same DNA here. It’s fast, it’s quirky, and it’s unapologetically brutal.
The film clocks in at about 94 minutes. It’s lean. It doesn't waste time on long-winded monologues about duty. It just lets the actors do the work. Grochowska’s performance is mostly physical; she says more with a glare or a heavy sigh than most actors do with a three-page script.
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The Global Impact of Polish Talent
Seeing the cast of Mother's Day 2023 gain traction globally is a big deal for the Polish film industry. For a long time, Polish cinema was known mostly for heavy historical dramas. Now, thanks to Netflix, actors like Grochowska—who you might recognize from The Woods or Leave No Traces—are getting to show off their range in "popcorn" genres.
If you’re looking for a comparison, think Atomic Blonde or Extraction. It’s that level of "everything is a weapon" choreography.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Watchlist
If you enjoyed the performances in this film, you should check out these other projects featuring the same crew:
- Agnieszka Grochowska in The Woods: A Harlan Coben adaptation on Netflix where she plays a much more grounded, dramatic role.
- Mateusz Rakowicz’s The Getaway King: If you liked the visual flair of Mother's Day but want something a bit funnier and more heist-focused.
- Dariusz Chojnacki in High Water: Another great Polish Netflix production that shows the depth of the local acting pool.
The movie ends with a scene that heavily implies Nina Nowak’s story isn't over. While a sequel hasn't been officially greenlit as of early 2026, the chemistry of the cast and the "one-woman army" trope leave the door wide open. Keep an eye on Polish action—they're clearly just getting started.