Other Mommy review: Jessica Chastain shines in cluttered psychological horror

Driven by captivating performances from Jessica Chastain and Arabella Olivia Clark, Rob Savage's Other Mommy explores the sinister boundary between familial trauma and a terrifying paranormal presence. Read our review.

In Short

• Other Mommy theatrically released on October 9
• The film's ensemble brings emotional conviction to thinly written dramatic beats
• The script juggles grief, dread and shocks without a clear rhythm

Director Rob Savage’s latest horror offering, Other Mommy, is a deeply layered psychological thriller, while bringing in conventional scare tactics. Adapted from Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel Incidents Around the House, this supernatural drama centres on young Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark) and her parents, Ursula (Jessica Chastain) and Russ (Jay Duplass). When a sinister entity manifesting as Bela’s mother emerges from her closet — demanding to be let into the child's heart — the family’s fragile domestic foundation begins to fracture.

While Savage builds an intriguing metaphor around marital infidelities, suppressed guilt, and a young girl's emotional conflict, the narrative loses its grip under an over-reliance on repetitive jump scares, visceral body horror, and monotonous shock value.

At its core, the narrative strives to examine modern familial dysfunction through a paranormal lens. Bela, an innocent child caught between her overworked mother and stay-at-home father, finds her internal vulnerabilities manipulated by a terrifying presence. However, Nathan Elston’s screenplay struggles to maintain the delicate balance between human grief and supernatural dread.

Instead of allowing the sentimental agency of its well-carved characters space to breathe, the film repeatedly interrupts quiet, emotionally resonant beats with aggressive visual shockers. What could have been an unsettling exploration of broken domestic ties ends up feeling like a mashup of stereotypical horror tropes, executed merely for the sake of visual spectacle.

Where Other Mommy undeniably succeeds is in its central performances. Young Arabella Olivia Clark delivers an emotionally restrained and poignant portrayal of Bela, seamlessly navigating vulnerability, heartbreak, and confusion without ever overplaying her hand.

Jessica Chastain proves her immense acting prowess once again, effortlessly doubling as the guilt-ridden, ambitious Ursula and the predatory, uncanny title entity. Opposite her, Jay Duplass brings a grounded warmth as a caring father navigating a collapsing marriage, sharing a convincing, intense chemistry with Chastain during the film's tender moments.

Technically, the film displays moments of ambition that are undercut by structural pacing issues. John Cutler’s editing only truly locks into a tight rhythm during the intense climax, leaving much of the middle act feeling padded and visually redundant. While Savage succeeds in creating a compelling thematic framework and complex characters, his direction fails to sustain narrative momentum. Other Mommy remains a watchable entry for fans of the genre due to its strong cast, but it ultimately sacrifices emotional depth for predictable theatrical thrills.

Other Mommy theatrically released in India on October 9, 2026.

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