Other Mommy: A Frightening Face Needs a Stronger Film

A familiar face becomes a threat

When the face you trust most becomes the thing you fear, where do you go? Other Mommy has a nasty answer. But can it make that fear last? Other Mommy is Rob Savage's supernatural horror film, based on Josh Malerman's novel Incidents Around the House. It opened in US theaters on October 9. Jessica Chastain plays a mother and the creature wearing her face. That alone is a strong reason to pay attention.

The visitor knows what Bela needs

Young Bela has a friend her parents know nothing about. She calls her Other Mommy. The visitor wants permission to enter Bela's heart. Meanwhile, the relationship between her real parents is already under strain. Something that promises endless love has found exactly the right opening.

Chastain makes reassurance unsettling

The best part is Chastain. Her smile stays in place just a little too long. The affection sounds rehearsed. She makes simple reassurance feel like a threat, even before the effects start stretching her body. Those small details are more unsettling than the bigger transformations. The less the creature does, the more you watch her.

The adults see the danger

Savage also skips a familiar frustration. The parents don't spend the whole film dismissing their daughter. They see the danger and try to react. Good. We can get straight to the problem instead of waiting for adults to catch up.

The family needs more room

But getting there quickly comes at a cost. The film doesn't give this family enough room to feel real before the nightmare takes over. Bela's loneliness should pull us into the story. Too often, it just provides the next reason to move everyone into another frightening situation. Arabella Olivia Clark gives Bela a vulnerability that helps hold things together. The trouble is that the writing keeps interrupting those human moments. Her parents have problems beyond the monster, but the film rushes through them. We understand the idea of a family falling apart. We don't feel enough of the history behind it.

Too much noise wears down the scares

Then there are the scares. Savage throws in distorted bodies, sudden appearances and restless camera movement. A few images land. But when almost everything is trying to shock you, the quieter moments stop feeling like a real break. You're simply waiting for the next loud interruption. The digital effects also make some of the creature's movements look less convincing, which takes the edge off the threat.

An offer that never quite tempts

The central promise is where the film really slips. Other Mommy is supposed to offer Bela something she isn't getting at home. Yet she's so obviously frightening that the temptation never feels strong enough. Show us why a lonely child might want this visitor around. Without that connection, the emotional trap becomes much less interesting than it should be.

Verdict

There's still some fun here if you want a quick supernatural horror ride. Chastain commits completely, the pace rarely drags, and Savage can build a striking image. But the film keeps choosing another scare over a better reason to care. At 93 minutes, it feels busy rather than fully developed. A memorable face needs a stronger film behind it. I give Other Mommy four out of ten.