Mother’s Instinct

Mothers instinct Benoit Delhomme

I don’t have children. It’s difficult for me to conceive of the feelings and bereavement that would happen. But I do understand survivors’ grief and anxiety, let alone the question we all face in certain situations: is our intervention merely escalation? Mother instinct takes the world of suburban America and brings a side to the realities of grief and pain, but as fantastic as its chrome work and paint jobs are, the engine stalls on several occasions, and it, despite a specific injection in the last act, essentially runs on fumes from previous noirs made in the time.

It starts promisingly with the Besties and mothers, Alice and Celine. We are taken into a hyper-stylised world where men are absent and drink whiskey when present, and women look impeccable on every occasion, even the laundry. There are a few moments where I think Mattell would have been turning around and going, ‘Oh, this is too much.’

However, the sudden, shocking death of Celine’s son soon dovetails into a mystery that has a good premise. As pasts are revealed, we wonder if Alice’s possessiveness of her son Theo is guilt, anxiety, or journalistic nose for curiosity, but none of it seems maternal. Could it be misplaced drive as a woman without a child? However, they had one and needed more options. But this is all baked into it; while it is good that aside from a moment of exposition and insight, it’s not belaboured, the film itself needs more.

We watch Alice experience a number of questions and suspicions, and as other accidents and tragedies occur, we have to wonder if it is paranoia. Sadly, without any other accompaniment, we are primarily left with scenes that feel like ‘the burbs’ with all the jokes removed.

Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway are riveting and utterly compelling, but the script disappoints them. I could only think of Harrison fords advice in star wars scripts’ You can write this shit, George, but you can’t say it.’

The men’s emotional and professional absences leave a certain incredulity to the whole proceedings, letting the murder mystery element feel almost tacked on.

It’s elegant and feels really well-produced. But by the time we see all the secrets revealed, with a few twists and tweaks ultimately, this is a hitckockian thriller you will have seen before. More needs to be done to show the narrative and sensibilities of 2024. If you want a classic feel with contemporary actors, you will get that. But you would find it lacking if you have been a fan or mature enough to have learnt more of the time outside of an episode of Bewitched. The last scenes, ironically enough, would have been better forgoing any twist. Which brings me back to the burbs. The monster Frank in this film is a waste of two highly talented actresses who are doing their best to hold up the shortfall of the script.

I think it’s entertaining and enjoyable. But frankly, it’s a Netflix thriller for a really high-resolution red TV. So if you have that, do that. And you will have something good to go with a post-work chablis, darling. What more could you ask?