Mothers' Instinct

Set in a middle class 60's setting which is beautifully done, 2 families who are dear friends both experience unforeseen trauma in their lives which leads to a catastrophic end.

I'm not a grand fan of Hathaway who plays Celine, but this pairing with Chastain who plays Alice is cinematic gold. The story follows the pair through trauma and heartbreak with an ultimate end of a perfect pairing.

The film at first is slow and kind of reminds you of the old slow starting films of the 60's. But it's done so nicely that it's not onerous to follow the story being set. Slowly but surely events unfold and you realise something is happening but you're not sure what.

Eventually 1 mystery is solved but it only opens up another mystery, and then another, and then another.

I'd not say it kept me on the edge of my seat, but it certainly held my attention with ease. I particularly loved the way it made me feel deep sympathy with both star characters, knowing that 1 or perhaps both of them was the 'bad guy'. Then again, perhaps neither of them were and they were being manipulated by someone else... Pitting them against one another was a great move and kept me guessing until the end.

The sets and wardrobe and even the traits of people were absolutely on point for the 60's, and I loved how there was no extraneous noise affecting the main script. No police interviews, no secondary characters poking their noses in, and no grand arguments with threats and shouting. It was all very muted and yet was foreboding in it's quiet, like a great Hitchcock movie, but obviously not near as good.

All in all a great story and a great film with great actors and I give it a solid 7.

The beginning started out promising and the acting is superb as what you can expect from A-listers such as Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway. Kinda remind me of Fractured in Netflix as the premise is kinda guessing whether it is the bad guy and the hallucinating side. Sadly, those talents and concept are wasted in what started out as an intriguing story then turns into something dull boring with laughable ending.

There are plot holes here and there alongside with the SUPER PREDICTABLE storyline which makes the thrill gone by the end of the first half. With its 95 mins run time they can actually stretch it a bit and make it into something out of ordinary instead of this rushed B movie kind of story. Don't waste your time in the cinema for this.

"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 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.

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.