Samhain

A good surprise. With a good story and full of important themes, the film is elevated by the talented cast and the very secure direction of Dolan (quite impressive for a debut).

It's not a terrifying horror film, maybe it even works better as a drama sometimes, but you always feel the tension in the air supported by a strong score and a naturally grey lighting (c'mon, more films in the UK and Ireland, this climate is perfect for horror 🤣).

Char's mother Angela is acting strange. Angela rarely emerges from the bedroom, has trouble completing routine tasks like getting groceries and driving Char to school, and she is getting worse. The thing is Char really needs her mom right now. She is being bullied at school and needs someone to turn to for support and advice. This is when Angela unexpectedly disappears and then reappears in a hostile mood.

You Are Not My Mother is an intriguing, quirky, and female driven dive into Irish folklore, the supernatural, mental illness, and the rougher side of Dublin. Because of a low film budget there is not a lot of depth to the dialogue or acting, but there are bright spots too like the female focused story and the acting of Hazel Doupe (Char).

World premiere seen at the Toronto international film festival.

I don't mind slow-burn horror, especially if it has deep nuances, interesting plot points, and a captivating atmosphere. You Are Not My Mother has some of those qualities, but driving at a really snail's pace apparently only makes the film has difficulties living up to its promising build-up.

Unlike some other reviews suggest: this movie is not boring. And Samhain / Halloween was most certainly around in Ireland and celebrated with bonfires etc. A long, long time before this movie was set.

In my opinion, You Are Not My Mother is a simple, atmospheric horror movie. It has the feel of the Samhain / Halloween time of year in Ireland. For the most part the acting is strong. I found the scenes between the mother and daughter to be unsettling in a quiet way; which made them all the more frightening.

It is edge of your seat from opening scenes to the end credits? No. Does it scream big budget, with lots of effects? No.

But it doesn't need to. It does a damn good job of marrying folklore / mythology with horror, while also touching on the subjects of mental health and family relationships.

I really enjoy these independent horror films based on Celtic / Irish folklore. They have the things I feel that make a great horror tale. They have foreshadowing, crescendoing tension, atmosphere, drama and spirituality. Is this one as good as Witch or Hereditary, no. But it is definitely better than the one millionth remake of exorcist and demon possession films. Far better than a abysmal slasher film.

I really hope filmmakers look for more terror inducing folklore from past cultures. These really make good topics for horror enthusiasts. Okay, not all horror film fanatics are the same. But I definitely prefer this style of horror.

As for this film, I feel all of the actors gave very good performances. It's definitely worth a watch.