Mothers' Instinct is a 2024 American psychological thriller film directed by Benoît Delhomme in his directorial debut, and starring Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Josh Charles and Anders Danielsen Lie. It is a remake of Olivier Masset-Depasse's 2018 French-language film, which itself was an adaptation of the 2012 novel Mothers' Instinct (French: Derrière la haine) by Barbara Abel.
| Mothers' Instinct | |
|---|---|
 UK theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Benoît Delhomme |
| Screenplay by | Sarah Conradt |
| Based on |
|
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Benoît Delhomme |
| Edited by | Juliette Welfling |
| Music by | Anne Nikitin |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Neon |
Release date |
|
Running time | 94 minutes[2] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1,606,319 [3] |
Mothers' Instinct was released in Lithuania on March 8, 2024, followed by theatrical release in the United Kingdom and Ireland on March 27.
Plot edit
In suburban America in 1960, Alice and Céline are two mothers with sons of a similar age, and next-door neighbours. Alice stages a surprise party for Céline’s birthday, during which tensions between Alice and her husband Simon become apparent. The next day, Céline’s son Max stays home sick from school. Alice notices him trying to construct a birdhouse given to him as a gift on a high porch and in a precarious position. She attempts to alert Céline to the danger, but the two are unable to act quickly enough and Max falls off the porch to his death.
After Max’s death, Céline appears to distance herself from Alice, but grows closer to her son Theo. At Max’s funeral, Theo notices one of his toys in Max’s coffin and lashes out. Céline leaves for an unknown location after the funeral, but returns a month later and reconciles with Alice. Theo grows even closer with Céline, to the point of inviting her to his birthday party, much to Alice’s distaste. The party goes normally, but afterwards Simon’s mother suddenly collapses, dying of a heart attack.
Simon’s mother has been taking medication for her heart, but an autopsy carried out at Alice’s request reveals no trace of the drug in her bloodstream. Alice suspects that Céline has been replacing the drug with a placebo, but her attempts to find evidence prove fruitless. Alice’s suspicions deepen when Theo is hospitalised after a severe allergic reaction at Céline’s house, with Alice believing Céline has deliberately encouraged Theo to eat food to which he is allergic. Alice enters Céline’s house while she is out one day to attempt to find evidence, but Céline catches her and orders her to leave.
Alice and Simon contemplate moving away from Céline, but the two eventually reconcile after Theo threatens to take his own life in response to their feud. Later that night, Céline kills her husband by sedating him with chloroform and slicing his wrist, making it look like a suicide. Alice and Simon allow a seemingly distraught Céline to stay with them, but while Alice goes to Céline's house to gather the rest of Céline's things, Céline sedates Simon and Theo. When Alice discovers this, she and Céline fight. Alice overpowers Céline, but Céline later sedates her and kills her and Simon by disconnecting their boiler to stage a gas leak. She spares Theo by barricading herself in his bedroom with the window open.
The film ends with Céline adopting Theo, and the two sharing a happy moment together on the beach.
Cast edit
- Jessica Chastain as Alice
- Anne Hathaway as Céline
- Josh Charles as Damian
- Anders Danielsen Lie as Simon
- Caroline Lagerfelt as Jean
Production edit
In October 2020, it was reported that Olivier Masset-Depasse was hired to direct, Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway were cast to star in the film,[4] with Chastain's production company Freckle Films set to produce it. In June 2022, Benoît Delhomme replaced Masset-Depasse as director after leaving due to a "family commitment". Josh Charles and Anders Danielsen Lie were also added to the cast.[5]
The film marks Delhomme's directorial debut.[6]
Principal photography began on May 25, 2022, in Union County, New Jersey.[7]
Release edit
In May 2022, Neon acquired the U.S. distribution rights.[8] The following month, StudioCanal acquired the rights for the UK and Ireland, while Amazon MGM Studios bought the rights for Canada, Australia and New Zealand.[9]
Mothers' Instinct was released in Lithuania on March 8, 2024 and grossed $13,250.[3] It was released in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and grossed $513,107.[2]
Reception edit
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 57% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Mothers' Instinct is a glossily enjoyable showcase for Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway, although the stars are ill-served by a thin story and shaky tonal command."[10] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 46 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[11]
Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph gave the film a score of two out of five, writing that "It's a thriller's engine purring away, while it stubbornly sits in neutral, getting us nowhere".[12] Guy Lodge of Variety wrote, "[but] Mothers' Instinct doesn’t breathe: It hasn't the grandeur of great melodrama, nor the savoir-faire of great noir. Like its mismatched heroines, it's constantly, twitchily figuring itself out, as we sit tight, intrigued, tensely waiting for it to trip".[13]
References edit
- ^ "Mothers' Instinct". Writers Guild of America West. December 14, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ a b "Mothers' Instinct (15)". BBFC. February 5, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ a b "Mothers' Instinct". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (October 29, 2020). "Anton Launches Jessica Chastain-Anne Hathaway Thriller Mothers' Instinct About Rival 1960's Housewives — AFM Hot Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (June 14, 2022). "'Mothers' Instinct': Josh Charles & Anders Danielsen Lie Join Jessica Chastain & Anne Hathaway In Psychological Thriller". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (January 9, 2024). "Mothers' Instinct Trailer: First Look At Thriller Starring Jessica Chastain & Anne Hathaway". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ Kuperinsky, Amy (June 27, 2022). "Anne Hathaway back in N.J. filming 'Mothers' Instinct' thriller with Jessica Chastain". NJ.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 11, 2022). "Neon Takes U.S. On Jessica Chastain & Anne Hathaway Thriller Mothers' Instinct". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ Tabbara, Mona. "Anton's Mothers' Instinct sells in key territories, new director, cast attached". Screen Daily. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ "Mothers' Instinct". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ "Mothers' Instinct". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ Robey, Tim (March 26, 2024). "Mothers' Instinct: Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain can't save this duff suburban psychodrama". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Lodge, Guy (March 27, 2024). "Mothers' Instinct Review: Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain Primly Do Battle in a Loopy Suburban Psychodrama". Variety. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
