The Mosley Review: Other Mommy

Ya know when a film has a great opening pitch and makes that promise on delivering said pitch and they do? Its more rare these days isn't it? Well this film had a very unique pitch right off the bat and I loved that the first teaser was basically the first 10 minutes of the film. I’m not saying that what transpires after was the greatest, but it was a peculiar one for sure. I felt the tone of the film wanted to be more creepy that it was trying to be and ended being more fantastical. This was a family drama for sure with a supernatural core that had a fun twist on it. What I really enjoyed is how the story decided to use visual storytelling instead of the standard exposition. You pick up on the hints that get confirmed as we go along and how the characters react. There was a portion of the film where it had no idea where or what it was doing. It almost derailed the entire film and went down a more lazy route and I was relieved as it was simply checking off one of the many boxes of standard tropes and honed back in on the core of the film. Sometimes the characters bounce between great and horrible and that's because of the excellent acting.

Arabella Olivia Clark leads the film as the young girl that is responsible for the nightmare that befalls this family, Bela. The innocence of a child is always the scariest part of a horror film, because of the raw emotion and depth they will go to get what they want without understanding the consequences. Arabella brings to life that innocence and playfulness, but I did enjoy the moments when she closes herself off. The psychology behind her need for a otherworldly friend was fun to explore. Jay Duplass was really good and optimistic as Bela's father, Russell. Now most will call him a bit of loser, but he wasn't in my eyes. He was the connective tissue of the family that was willing to have a brave face in front of even the more horrific scenes of the film. Jessica Chastain was dong double duty as both Bela's mother, Ursula and the titular character. As Ursula, she was the type of mother that is there for her daughter, but distant in many ways. There is so much happening between her and Russell as you get the hints of their tumultuous marriage and the many secrets between them. Karen Allen was a surprise in the film and as Urusla's mother, Ruth, she delivers the levity of the film and the most important message about truth. Their relationship isn’t explored too much, but I found Ursula’s unwillingness to contact her mother when things start to happen really annoying. Jessica really makes you not like Ursula for the majority of the film but by the end, her performance makes you understand her as the truth is revealed. As Other Mommy, Chastain brings to life a truly haunting and creepy entity that is both inventive, playful and relentless. The creepy chemistry between her and Bela was fun to explore as she manipulates and tricks her in ways that were obvious and sometimes scary. I loved the unsettling nature of emotions Other Mommy expresses through her permanent smile. There is a bathroom scene that was both creepy and somewhat funny in its execution, but I loved it. This is probably the first time I was actually unsettled by Jessica in a role and that was fun.

The score by Patrick Jonsson was serviceable in the more tense moments of the film. I did like the playful tension of the mansion sequence and how he highlights the terror, but wasn’t afraid to play with the lunacy of it all. The effects in the film were really cool as they play with perspective and the many transformations that happen. It was the unexpected and I loved the playful brutality of a character death that was oddly intricate and beautiful. Like I said, this film sits somewhere between genius and a clown show. The same tricks of supernatural horror are here and they come at you sometimes creatively and relentlessly, but you lose the surprise of it all because the lack of build in the second half. Despite being a checklist, they do shy away from the easy ending points. I just found this film as mix bag and I did have fun with it, but I can't shake the fact that everything was over produced. This film would’ve benefited from a stripped down haunted house experience instead of the constant barrage of “scares”. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!