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Some early viewers of Other Mommy were all over social media, claiming there was a jump scare every few minutes. Such a tall claim had yours truly nervous too before the film began, and this is someone who loves the genre. I am still waiting for those jump scares as I write this.
Jessica Chastain's Other Mommy revolves around a young girl, Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark), who encounters a supernatural entity that takes the form of her mother. The entity wants the girl to say yes to letting her into her heart, so that it may enter the physical realm.
There is practically nothing scary here, for starters. Based on the 2024 novel Incidents Around the House and produced by James Wan, Other Mommy comes with high expectations. Wan, after all, has been behind The Conjuring universe, whose first instalment remains among the best horror films ever made.
Other Mommy, however, fails to deliver on almost every front. The storytelling is abrupt, the progression rushed, and barring some cool visual effects, there is precious little to unsettle horror veterans. For a film that has been hyped for its jump scares, it is surprisingly short on scares of any kind.
The core concept is intriguing: the supernatural is drawn to children because of their innocence, and the only way to end it is for them to lose that very innocence. It is a premise with plenty of potential, but the film does little to develop it meaningfully or give the audience a compelling reason to stay invested.
It is the climax that finally piques your interest and keeps you hooked. But these are fleeting moments in an otherwise underwhelming film, and they do little to salvage an otherwise unsatisfactory viewing experience.
Jessica Chastain does well in her role, but Jay Duplass, who plays her husband, and Arabella, who plays their daughter, are both so performative that their acts lack any semblance of authenticity. It all feels too filmi, for lack of a better word.
Overall, Other Mommy ends up being a rather frustrating watch, more for what it could have been than what it actually is. The idea is unsettling enough, but the execution rarely inspires fear. Horror fans looking for a genuine scare would be better off revisiting The Conjuring.
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