Mothers' Instinct

I think this film is brilliantly done. Anyone of a certain age remembers the way of life during the time period in which this is set and it's a thriller play on words, so to speak. The setting and style is spot on down to the smallest detail, to the point the thriller story itself is the secondary plot. I suspect certain generations may not quite get the significance. Chastain and Hathaway played their roles perfectly. I give this a high score because I do appreciate the nuances of life unfolding on screen and the sort of Hitchock'ish ... but not...chilling thriller innuendo that presents. I totally get it and I totally liked it.

Let me start by saying this: the movie wasn't spectacular, but it certainly wasn't bad either. What I can confidently say is that it was intriguing, unpredictable, and refreshingly different. With two of the most talented actresses of our time sharing the screen, the performances were absolutely top-notch. The cinematography, with its vibrant and colorful 80s setting, was beautifully done and immediately drew me in.

What really stood out for me, though, was the story. It was unique, and the ending felt like a breath of fresh air. It's rare to see a film take that kind of direction these days, and it was a pleasant surprise.

The reason I wouldn't call it spectacular is because I think the story had the potential to be even more engaging. It felt like the director played it a bit safe and could have pushed the boundaries more. That said, the ending leaves room for a possible sequel, so who knows what's next!

Mothers' Instinct is set in 1960 and aims to be a throwback to the glossy thrillers of that era. More specifically, it feels like a stab at aping Hitchcock, marrying tense psychodrama with grand visuals and crowd pleasing twists. Needles to say, it falls some way short of matching the Master of Suspense.

Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway play Alice and Celine. They are neighbours, friends and both parents of young boy who are also close. When Celine's son dies in a tragic accident, Alice becomes convinced her grieving friend blames her and is plotting revenge.

First time director Benoit Delhomme is an experienced cinematographer and it shows with the film's aesthetic being one of its greatest strengths. It's a small film, set mostly in and around a couple of houses but the period setting is beautifully observed and every shot is painstakingly composed. The pastel colours and stunning costumes are in stark contrast to the grim goings on and provide insight into the characters and their mood.

Mothers' Instinct's other big plus, or rather pluses, are its two leads. This isn't the first time Chastain and Hathaway have been in a film together but it is the first time they've shared the screen and they play off each other expertly. Whether they're being bosom buddies, suspicious frenemies or outright adversaries they are magnetic. Even when one of them is alone in a room they are telling the story with every facial movement. A strong supporting cast help them along the way but it's really the leading ladies show.

Unfortunately all the style and great acting is hung on a screenplay that just isn't up to the task. There are moments of tension but it never really feels like it's escalating, Mothers Instinct treads the shallows for most of its runtime before abruptly diving off the deep end for a conclusion. There's nothing wrong with keeping things subtle but an ending like the one we get here should be built towards, not feel like it could have come out of nowhere at any time. It also doesn't help that the strory goes in the most predictable direction open to it and in the process robs both main characters of any interesting nuance they had built up.

So Mothers' Instinct is ultimately a letdown, especially for the leads. Performances this good shouldn't be portraying a story this underbaked.

6 clandestine autopsies out of 10.

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.

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.