Mothers' Instinct

This movie seemed like a modern take on "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle". It's quite the thriller, though for a while you're never sure if it's meant to be a thriller or drama. It had an unusual pace, which isn't a bad thing, but definitely didn't feel like your typical American movie. Especially the ending.

It's not an easy movie to watch, but it's worth it. It's also a fairly unique story and there should be more movies centered around toxic female friendships. We've all had them, it's time to acknowledge them and make useful stories of them. This is a good start.

Jessica Chastain really came alive in this the most out of everyone and was the most believable, but the others were good too. I'm not sure if I would watch it again now that I know the story, but if it had better dialogue it would be enough to come back for seconds.

The movie universe it so saturated these days that a film with two Oscar winning actresses in the lead roles can come out and almost no one will ever hear about it. It doesn't help that the film has a title that sounds like a Lifetime film and a poster that is unimaginably bland. Seriously? No one could come up with anything better than just the two of them standing side by side?

Which is all a shame because the film is decent. In fairness it's my kind of movie, so I'm probably going to enjoy it more than most. But as far as reasonably grounded domestic thrillers go, this had all the right ingredients. A catastrophic event leading to major consequences with some mystery and darker themes lurking beneath the surface. Sign me up.

The old trope of the annoying child is going to bug a few people. Hollywood has been fixing this a bit more often in recent times, but this film had a big serving of it. However if you simply want to see two pretty good actresses going toe to toe in a surprisingly heavy film then this may be up your alley. 7.5/10.

"Mother's Instinct" is a psychological thriller that offers a compelling exploration of suburban paranoia, but ultimately falls short meriting a 6 out of 10 rating. Set in the 1960s, the film stars Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain as Alice and Celine, two neighbors whose idyllic lives unravel after a tragic accident.

The film's strength lies in its lead performances. Hathaway and Chastain deliver nuanced portrayals of complex characters, capturing the escalating tension with a sense of urgency that keeps viewers engaged. The production design and costume work are also noteworthy, effectively transporting the audience to the era with a meticulous attention to detail.

However, "Mother's Instinct" stumbles in its final act. The build-up of suspense and mystery, carefully crafted throughout the movie, culminates in an ending that feels both rushed and disappointing. . The resolution lacks the emotional payoff that the preceding narrative promises, leaving viewers with more questions than answers.

Despite its shortcomings, "Mother's Instinct" is a visually striking film with strong central performances. It's a worthwhile watch for fans of the genre, though it may not leave a lasting impression due to its underwhelming conclusion.

I am a guy and this movie is primarily about the relationship between two women, two mothers, each with a husband and an 8-yr-old son. So I didn't know if I would enjoy it but I like both actresses, Chastain and Hathaway, so I watched it out of trust that they would not participate in a poor movie. It is actually a remake of a 2018 French movie "Duelles", with the same character names and the same basic story.

Filmed in New Jersey, the story is set in the 1960s, in one scene they are talking about whether new president JFK was too young, and one of the ladies says Jackie will run things anyway. Jessica Chastain is Alice and Anne Hathaway is Céline. They live next door to each other in a middle class neighborhood and each has a key to the other home. Their sons are best friends.

Then a tragedy strikes and that changes all the friend and family dynamics. It quickly develops into a very dark story as the family losses pile up and it is hard to say which are the stable ones. The ending was a total surprise to me, and is a very dark conclusion.

While it turns out to be a not very pleasant movie I enjoyed the viewing experience. My wife skipped, somehow she thought she had already watched the movie. Did she really?

At home, on DVD from my public library.

I like it. So many unfair bad reviews. It has a great premise and the movie makes you empathize with Alice (Jessica Chastain) and also with Celine (Anne Hathaway). I was wondering all the time who was right and who was wrong. Yes, it's true that the 3rd act is not as interesting as the rest of the movie, that it would have been better to keep it as a movie about trust, tragedy and the consequences of those in relationships.

But the ending takes another path, and is not wrong. It's actually interesting. Anne and Jessica both have amazing scenes together. My god! Those two can say so much with just one look.

It was a pleasant movie.