Mother’s Instinct is a thriller set in the 60s, starring Anne Hathaway as Celine, a calm, fun-loving mother to Max (Baylen D. Bielitz), and Jessica Chastain as Alice, anxious and highly strung mother to Theo (Eamon Patrick O’Connell). The film starts with the two families having seemingly perfect lives. Max and Theo are best friends, Celine and Alice are housewives who both love elaborate plates of finger foods. However, after a tragic accident leading to the death of Max (not a spoiler!), the leading ladies’ friendship starts to fracture. It becomes apparent about halfway through the film that the only real friendship is the one between Damian (Josh Charles) and Simon (Anders Danielsen Lie), Celine’s and Alice’s husbands, respectively.
As far as directorial debuts go, this one is not bad. Benoit Delhomme makes it clear from the start that this film is not about children or parenting. The abrupt nature of Max’s death and the aftermath highlight this. I admit this to be a fault in the first half of the film, where the editing seems disjointed and the use of music makes it abundantly clear when you should be feeling tense. But the second half more than makes up for its messier counterpart and the cinematography provides an aesthetic that’s easy on the eyes, Delhomme’s experience shining through, and providing a brilliant contrast to the dark undertones.
The gaslighting comes into effect earlier than you might expect. While this becomes clear quickly, it left me wondering just how early it began. And even though I would argue the film primarily follows Celine’s grief over losing her child, Alice’s mental state is often explored more than Celine’s, amplifying the suspense.
The ending is predictable – I’m sure everyone will guess it within about half an hour of watching – however, for me, this did not take away from the enjoyment. If you’re hoping for a Hitchcock-esque twist, then this isn’t for you, but don’t let that deter you from this ultimately entertaining watch.
overall rating = 4/5
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