Guest Review by Eric Woods
At Horror-Fix, we love hearing from different voices in the horror community, and we’re always excited to showcase the work of fellow writers and genre enthusiasts. Today, we’re pleased to welcome Springfield, Illinois-based horror author Eric Woods, who shares his thoughts on the new theatrical release Other Mommy. A big thanks to Eric for contributing this review and reminding us that sometimes the critics don’t get the final word!
Other Mommy is in theaters now, and the early reviews are probably not trending the way the creators were hoping. My question to those critics: What the hell were you expecting?
Based on Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around the House (one of my favorite books this decade), the movie centers around a family of three whose lives are suddenly upended by an entity trying to take over the body of Bela, the little girl played brilliantly by Arabella Olivia Clark.
The entity takes on the form of Bela’s mom, Ursula (Jessica Chastain), so Bela calls her “Other Mommy.” The film doesn’t drag, as we get our first scare before the opening credits.
Perhaps having that jump scare at the very beginning spoiled for us in the previews helped drive the harsh criticism. (I honestly hate when previews give too much away.)
The entity is actually more of a shapeshifter than anything, as it takes the form of just about everyone Bela knows, always asking, “Can I go inside your heart?”
Chastain delivers these sinister lines with such calmness and poise, all the while maintaining a creepy grin that belongs in a SMILE movie.
The majority of the film centers on the family trying to run away from Other Mommy, only to discover that its attachment to Bela means it goes where she goes. We watch how it continues to try and wear her down into saying yes to letting it inside.
Of course, there is an underlying reason why Other Mommy has targeted Bela. As we quickly find out (this film really wastes no time getting to the main conflict), Ursula and Russell (Jay Duplass) don’t exactly have a rock-solid marriage.
And the entity tells Bela it was let in because her heart was breaking, and it wants to fix it. They also drill in the simple idea that lying is bad, and telling the truth might be the best way to keep the monsters at bay.
Malerman’s novel is told entirely from Bela’s point of view, which I found refreshing, not to mention more terrifying. My primary critique of the movie is that it all but eliminates the psychological buildup from the book.
The movie also strays from the book by “Hollywooding” the ending. So, yes, it was far from perfect. But the majority of the main points from the book are preserved, and the movie delivers something fun to watch at night in the dark.
My advice for those who haven’t seen it but are planning to: Don’t overthink it. Just go and enjoy.
Other Mommy – Final Verdict
★★★½☆ – 3.5/5
Review by Eric Woods, horror author from Springfield, Illinois.
