Stepmom (1998) was a transitional film in this regard. Though it still indulges in tearjerker melodrama, it spends significant time with the children (Jena Malone and Liam Aiken) who must navigate their terminally ill mother (Susan Sarandon) and the new, well-meaning stepmother (Julia Roberts). The daughter’s rejection of Roberts isn’t petty—it’s a loyalty oath to a dying parent. Modern cinema has sharpened this insight.
If you are interested in how this dynamic has shifted in the last 15 years (toward more complex, realistic portrayals), you might also look for papers that cite Negra but focus on: video title big ass stepmom agrees to share be hot