Shadows on the Wall | Mothers' Instinct

Mothers’ Instinct

dir Benoit Delhomme
scr Sarah Conradt-Kroehler
prd Jacques-Henri Bronckart, Kelly Carmichael, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Paul Nelson
with Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Josh Charles, Anders Danielsen Lie, Eamon Patrick O'Connell, Baylen D Bielitz, Caroline Lagerfelt, Alexander Blaise, TL Flint, Scott Robertson, Steve Routman, Larry Petersen
release UK 29.Mar.24,
US 26.Jul.24
24/US 1h34

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In this frothy dramatic thriller, cinematographer-turned-director Benoit Delhomme underscores a terrific sunshiny sheen with churning suspense. The film's less-is-more approach creates genuinely creepy moments, allowing plenty of space for scene-stealing experts like Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway to play. And both are skilled at being sympathetic and suspicious at the same time. So if the plot ties itself up in knots, it still gets under the skin.

In upscale 1960 suburbia, Alice (Chastain) lives nextdoor to Celine (Hathaway). They are best friends, as are their respective husbands (Danielsen Lie and Charles) and 7-year-old sons (O'Connell and Bielitz). But when tragedy strikes one family, both Alice and Celine begin to have doubts about the other, second-guessing kindnesses and questioning motivations. They also begin using their personal histories against each other, from Alice surviving the crash that killed her parents to Celine's difficulties in having a child. Their husbands of course misread this, but when someone else dies, the worries become much more urgent.

From the opening shot, it's clear that something is awry in this idyllic neighbourhood. And each scene layers in more niggling questions about whether what's happening is nefarious or merely unfortunate. Sometimes, Delhomme lays on the Hitchcockian intrigue rather thickly, then undercuts it with a moment suggesting that surely we are imagining things. This creates a juicy sense of mystery as things begin to get increasingly nasty. And everything is underscored with the raw emotions of these two women.

Both Chastain and Hathaway dive deeply into their roles, establishing their closeness before beginning to unpick it. Alice and Celine surprise themselves with what they're willing to do to protect their lives. Much of the story is told through Alice's eyes, as she worries that her mental illness has returned, making her misjudge everything around her. And Celine's crippled emotional state does the same for her. Charles and Danielsen Lie find strong notes as their husbands, but are ultimate rather hapless players in this tale.

After things get cooking, the script forces us to wait before the other shoe finally drops, sending things into an eerily unnerving final act that gets very dark indeed. This also undermines any messages the story plays around with, such as the importance of relying on friends at a time of need. So even if it doesn't leave us with much to think about, it's a steadily entertaining chiller worth watching for Chastain and Hathaway alone.

themes, language, violence 27.Mar.24

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