In the idyllic suburban setting of 1960s America, Alice and Celine are best friends and neighbors. Both housewives, they lead picture-perfect lives with successful husbands and young sons of the same age. Their world crumbles when a tragic accident takes the life of Celine’s son, Max, while under Alice’s watch.
Consumed by guilt and grief, Celine spirals. The tight bond between the two women unravels as suspicion and paranoia creep in. Celine becomes obsessed with protecting her remaining son, Theo, while Alice grapples with the weight of the accident and Celine’s accusations. As the story progresses, the lines between reality and perception blur, leaving the audience guessing about what truly happened the day of the accident.
Mothers’ Instinct is a psychological thriller that explores the dark side of maternal love and the devastating impact of loss.
Mothers’ Instinct (2024) is the brainchild of several key players:
- Director: This marks the directorial debut of Benoît Delhomme, previously known for his cinematography on films like “Cleopatra” and “Cyrano.”
- Writers: The script is based on the 2012 novel “Derrière la haine” by Barbara Abel. Screenplay adaptation credits are shared by Abel herself and Sarah Conradt.
- Cast: The film boasts a star-studded cast:
- Jessica Chastain takes on the role of Alice.
- Anne Hathaway portrays Celine.
- Josh Charles plays Celine’s husband, Damian.
- Anders Danielsen Lie portrays Simon, Alice’s husband.
- Caroline Lagerfelt rounds out the main cast members.
This marks the second time Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway share the big screen. They previously co-starred in the critically acclaimed space drama “Interstellar” (2014).
I found the film creepy and I adored the cast, I almost didn’t want the inevitable to happen. It also made me long to watch The Good Wife again, Will Gardner throwback anyone? (Josh Charles). I found the two female leads to be extremely strong and although there is a strong diversion here in working out who is the ‘sane’ one of the mothers, you know how this is going to end. Although the end did surprise me slightly with how it all came about.
I also noticed Celine’s brighter wardrobe in the start of the movie, moving to black after the tragedy. She briefly wore white when she returned home after a stay away – perhaps a sign of a clean slate. But then she reverted back to black. At the end, Celine and Theo are wearing navy which isn’t the happiest colour but not black. Maybe a sign that she knew what she had done to get to where she is now.