‘Mothers’ Instinct’ Review – An Underexplored Psychological Warfare Between Two Grieving Mothers

A mother’s instinct is always right, especially regarding stranger danger. We all know that we must keep our kids away from potentially dangerous strangers, but what if danger and evil come in a much friendlier form, let’s say in the form of your closest friend and neighbour? Then you find yourself in the shoes of Alice (Jessica Chastain), who, after a tragic accident, starts to see her friend and neighbour Celine (Anne Hathaway) in a much different, darker way in Benoît Delhomme’s directorial debut Mothers’ Instinct.

There was a time when Alice and Celine’s friendship could have easily been described as a sisterhood. Their breadwinning husbands – purely side characters in this feature – get along well with each other, and their sons, Theo (Eamon O’Connell) and Max (Baylen D. Bielitz), are best friends. While the women are opposite in some respects, Alice is much more liberal thinking while Celine is much more traditional, their friendship would have lasted very long. That Is until a tragedy strikes this idyllic suburban town.

When Max falls to his death while attempting to attach a bird box to his balcony – which Alice unfortunately witnesses – the lives of the two mothers are entirely turned upside down. Alice is overcome with guilt, fury and distress, while Celine holds her best friends guilty for the death of her son. Max’s passing is the catalyst of their once-idyllic friendship becoming a much more strained relationship filled with paranoia, tension, and suspicion. Even more so when a series of sinister incidents lead to something much darker.

There’s no doubt that Mothers’ Instinct is an old-fashioned thriller in which the ’60s come to life in a very detailed way. While the dynamic performances elevate the secretive vibe to a certain level, there’s not enough intrigue and darkness for the feature to grab the audience by the throat. Whether it’s a dark threat appearing or a scene in which a menacing discovery is about to be made, it’s all dealt with in a fast-paced way. Because of this, you don’t feel that unnerving and eery feeling overwhelming you. Some more patient editing and a much deeper focus on the individual events would have driven the storyline much better and would have increased the connection with the audience even more.

The deeper focus (and a longer runtime, as this movie only lasts for 95 minutes) would have also allowed the writer and director to delve more into the psychological and societal aspects they briefly touch upon in this movie. When Alice loses grip on reality and falls deeper into her rabbit hole full of anxiety, responsibility, and overprotective thoughts, her past of mental health issues and medication comes to light, but that aspect isn’t being explored whatsoever. In a psychological thriller like this, that element should have been one of the key factors. The probable main reason why that aspect only deserved a mention is that this movie doesn’t know what it wants to be. One moment, it’s a psychological thriller, and the next one, it’s a stylish melodrama.

Because of this lack of direction and purpose, the performances are also all over the place. Chastain (IT: Chapter Two, Memory) wants to show us the many aspects of her character, whether it’s the headstrong wife, concerned mother, or troubled woman. Still, due to the speed of the scenes, she can’t bring the necessary vulnerability and emotions to the screen. The same goes for Hathaway. It’s clear that her character’s grief is not everything that it seems and that there’s maybe a potential evil lurking inside Alice (or is Celine just making that up?), but Hathaway (She Came to Me) can’t deliver the menacing character trait at all due to the shattered script. If you’ve seen her in Eileen, you know that this acting heavyweight can provide a fascinating and creepy performance, but she just can’t in this film.

While there’s a lack of danger, there’s certainly an abundance of the 60’s atmosphere, thanks to the stunning work of the hair and make-up team, set designer, and cinematographer. Delhomme had been making a living as a cinematographer before putting on the director’s cap, so it was probably a no-brainer that he would also take on the role of cinematographer in this feature. He certainly has an eye for creating stunning visuals and shaping brightly coloured suburbs.

In a society where image, appearance, and status are key, housewives must ensure they look impeccable every time of day, even when tending the roses in the garden or attending a funeral. Whether it’s Jess’s striped pink bodycon dress, her bright yellow one, or Celine’s much darker funeral clothes and plain-looking outfit, they’re all impeccably chosen. Not only because they ooze the ’60s vibe but also because they represent the difference between the two friends in a fashionable way.

Equally contrasting are the hair colours. Chastain radiates her otherworldly elegance with her icy cool blonde hair in a bun, while Hathaway looks like Jackie Kennedy (it’s the time of the Kennedy, after all) with her black hair. With her darker hair, you would think that Celine is the course of all the evil, but what if Alice is not as angelic as she appears to be? Yes, don’t let looks fool you because there’s more behind those glossy façades of pink and chrome and plastic smiles than you would initially think. You will also undoubtedly swoon at the stunning and must-have glassware, the very timely and pastel colours of cars, and the open vibrancy of the houses, all coming together beautifully in Ernesto Solo’s (The Trial of the Chicago 7, Nyad) gorgeous art design.

If the noir-ish melodrama sounds familiar, then you’re not losing your mind (unlike Alice, maybe). Mothers’ Instinct is a remake of the French film Duelles, based on Barbara Abel’s novel Derrière la Haine. This adaptation is the first English film adaptation of the original novel, and sadly, a lot got lost in translation. There’s no doubt that Chastain and Hathaway have excellent chemistry as next-door neighbours, but even they can’t elevate this suburban nightmare due to the underdeveloped psychological elements and the unbalanced script.

Mothers’ Instinct is currently playing in theaters in the UK and Ireland courtesy of StudioCanal. The film will premiere in the United States courtesy of NEON on a date yet to be announced. 

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