IR Film Review: OTHER MOMMY [Universal]
Ron Savage directed a zoom based horror feature during the pandemic followed by a found footage film with very good results. With his new film "Other Mommy" as his first foray into studio features, he ups the game under the auspice of Atomic Monster and Blumhouse who have been great with building these new talents. "Other Mommy" has its issues but it also has its strengths to be sure. Jessica Chastain plays dual roles in a way and understands the assignment without overdoing it. She is flawed as a character for sure but the point is how it fits together. It is about unconventional family but it uses an unconventional build and location. It is about possession in a way but also about poltergeists. "What Happened To Doris" did it a similar way at Fantastic Fest with a smaller budget and more effective scares. Savage though has the visual eye and flair for this sort of material. Jay Duplass plays Chastain’s husband but from the beginning (which is what we see in the trailer) something seems slightly off about how everyone fits together.
Arabella Olivia Clark who plays Bela effects just the right kind of precocious without overdoing it because the idea of safety versus danger in that scenario is very thin and what drives the dread. One of the best parts though is after the other mommy really lays it in at a friends house (a stalking scene in particular) and what it reveals about the mom and dad’s relationship is key. The possibility of what the entity can do accelerates from this point on. The film was shot in Ireland so everything in terms of the location also feels a bit off on purpose. Like "Into The Further" in the Insidious universe, this film uses perception to its advantage (though "Further" did do it a bit better). A great addition though (even for a hot minute) is Karen Allen as the grandmother (not sure if it is his or her mom) but Allen has some great scenes (though some are disjointed) but it reminds you how great of an actress she is (even with limited material). The progression towards the end doesn’t go quite as one would expect but it also doesn’t close the doors either. The question becomes does the wolf lurks in sheep’s clothing and what does it really need. Chastain, knowing her training, really tries to deliver truth and hope in the concept is that they will be delivered from evil. "Other Mommy" doesn’t fully explain that sentiment (even thouugh it tries) but it is a great horror foray for Chastain to spread her wings with a dark and vicious approach that also allows for a bit of fun in the genre sector. 84%/B/B-
By Tim Wassberg
