Mothers’ Instinct [2024]

1. He justifies his behavior by complaining about “too many Mai Tais” the night before.
2. Conveniently labeled PHARMA-KEY.
3. Shakycam at the beach.

Mounting a story with this many contrivances, there are only two fruitful approaches: frosty and clinical (like Haneke) or hothouse camp (Araki by way of Ozon). This film avoids either extreme and is a tonal mess, a “heartfelt” examination of grief one moment, a would-be paranoia thriller the next. The overuse of shaky cam, for no discernable reason, also serves to torpedo any credibility it might have as an early 1960s period piece. And in terms of dialog, I didn’t believe for a moment that these characters were actually from that time and place.

Hathaway and Chastain can’t be faulted (both are well cast) but this film doesn’t offer them any support. What a drag.