Mothers’ Instinct – Movie Review (3/5)

MOTHERS’ INSTINCT (2024) is a Psychological Mystery Thriller starring Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway. It’s a remake of a Belgian movie from 2018 which was based on a novel. Read our full Mothers’ Instinct movie review here!

MOTHERS’ INSTINCT (2024) is coming to US theaters and will be out on Digital a few weeks later. It’s a Psychological Mystery Thriller starring Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway in the two most crucial roles.

While the movie is accomplished as a whole, you can watch it just for them! Both deliver absolute powerhouse performances. Also, it’s a remake of the Belgian movie Duelles from 2018, which was in turn adapted from the novel by Barbara Abel. The runtime is just 1 hour and 34 minutes.

Continue reading our Mothers’ Instinct movie review below. Find it in theaters from July 26, 2024. The movie is already out on Prime Video internationally.

Such cruel fate

Mothers’ Instinct is set in the early ’60s, which makes for a distinct way of life for best friends and neighbors Alice (Jessica Chastain) and Celine (Anne Hathaway). They live an idyllic traditional lifestyle where everything is in its right place and nothing needs to change.

They have their nice homes with manicured lawns, successful husbands, and sons of the same age. The two are quite different in how Alice wants to return to work and Celine just wants to be a mother. She even offers to help Alice with her son when she goes back to work.

In a tragic turn of events, the perfect harmony is shattered after an accident. Though an obvious accident, guilt, suspicion, and a lot of paranoia begin to unravel their sisterly bond. The cruel fate of one family ends up taking much more than the life of one.

This is where the true psychological thriller elements kick in as a battle of wills begins. Their maternal instincts reveal a dark and fierce side.

Fair warning: From the opening scene, it seems like the psychological pressure has begun and it never lets up, which is a huge accomplishment.

Visually stunning with a fantastic cast

The story of Mothers’ Instinct is set in the early 1960s and everything about the visuals is gorgeous. This is also the directorial debut of acclaimed cinematographer Benoît Delhomme. And yes, Benoît Delhomme is also the director of photography on this one.

As mentioned several times, this movie stars Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway, who both deliver award-worthy performances. You could so easily watch this movie just for their performances. It’s mesmerizing and breathtaking to see them in this movie.

Their respective husbands in the story are portrayed by Anders Danielsen Lie (The Night Eats the World, Handling the Undead) and Josh Charles (The Veil, The Power). Also in a key role is Caroline Lagerfelt (Hunters), who delivers quite an impactful performance as well.

Watch Mothers’ Instinct in Theaters or on Digital

The director of this US remake is Benoît Delhomme in his directorial debut. He previously worked as a cinematographer on movies such as The Theory of Everything (2014), A Most Wanted Man (2014), The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008), and 1408 (2007).

The screenwriter is Sarah Conradt-Kroehler who also wrote for the horror anthology 50 States of Fright. As mentioned earlier, this is a remake of a Belgian movie. The movie is Duelles from 2018, directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse, and based on the book by author Barbara Abel.

The runtime of just around an hour and a half is tight and appropriate. It’s so intense and nail-biting that it would’ve suffered for being longer. While this is very much a mystery thriller, the ending is like something out of a psychological horror movie. It’s a real gut punch!

Mothers’ Instinct is in theaters on July 26, 2024, and on Digital from August 13, 2024. In many other countries internationally, the movie is out on Prime Video.

Details

Director: Benoît Delhomme
Screenwriter: Sarah Conradt-Kroehler
Stars: Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Anders Danielsen Lie, Josh Charles, Caroline Lagerfelt