What if the most idyllic friendships weren’t so perfect after all? What if the friend next door, the one who knows your life as intimately as you do, turns into a mirror reflecting fears you didn’t even know you harbored? These are some of the uneasy questions at the heart of Mothers’ Instinct, the 2024 adult thriller starring (and produced by) Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway.
Directed by Benoît Delhomme, better known as a cinematographer (The Theory of Everything, At Eternity’s Gate), the film marks his directorial debut and promises a Hitchcockian psychological ride. But does it deliver on its bold ambitions? Let’s break it down.
Set in a pristine 1960s suburban neighborhood, Mothers’ Instinct follows Alice (Jessica Chastain) and Celine (Anne Hathaway), stay-at-home moms with two young sons the same age. Their lives seem to tick every box on the “ideal family” checklist: loving husbands (played by Anders Danielsen Lie and Josh Charles, who deserve their own shoutouts for nuanced performances) , picturesque homes, healthy boys and a warm, sisterly friendship. But when tragedy strikes and one child dies in an accident, everything crumbles.
What begins as grief manifests as paranoia, anxiety, and mistrust, dredging up past traumas. Alice struggles with the memories of losing her parents in a fatal car crash, her survival guilt (she was asleep in the backseat) and pathological anxiety. Celine, meanwhile, carries the scars of a difficult pregnancy and a consequently low self-esteem. The tragedy drives a wedge between them, turning their friendship into a psychological battlefield.
Source: IMDB
Delhomme, drawing on his visual expertise, crafts a world that is as beautiful as it is unsettling. The pastel-hued wallpaper, vintage kitchenware, and vibrant costumes transport us into an era that feels tactile and alive. Even tiny details—like the green tint of a glass mirroring the wallpaper—are so intentional they almost steal the scene. From the first frame, the film dazzles with its immaculate production design and rich cinematography. Those curly updos, skirt-suits and Twiggy-style minidress are just the cherry on top.
How about the performances? It is no surprise that Chastain and Hathaway bring their A-game, especially considering their roles as producers and passion for the project. Hathaway’s portrayal of Celine captures a grief-stricken woman teetering between love and despair, vulnerability and veiled hostility/revenge. Chastain, on the other hand, gives Alice a quiet intensity—she is confused, self-doubting, and haunted by the growing cracks of her life.
If Hathaway is the emotional pulse of the film, Chastain anchors it with a grounded, relatable performance – her Alice is fallible yet powerful. The story largely unfolds through her eyes, and it is through Chastain’s character that we, too, begin to question what is real – but messed up – and what is imaginary.
But, unfortunately, even the best performances cannot entirely save a story from its flaws.
While Mothers’ Instinct excels in atmosphere and acting, the script—written by Barbara Abel, Sarah Conradt, and Olivier Masset-Depasse—feels uneven, to say the least. Based on Abel’s novel Derrière la Haine, the plot aims for Hitchcockian intrigue but gets bogged down in contrivances and inconsistencies.
As the film progresses, the twists and turns grow increasingly absurd, diluting the tension rather than heightening it. By Act Three, the psychological cat-and-mouse dynamic teeters on the edge of nonsense, leaving you less on the edge of your seat and more scratching your head. Even at a modest 90 minutes, the film feels stretched in parts, as if unsure of how to reach its climax.
Source: IMDB
Despite its narrative missteps, Mothers’ Instinct has plenty to recommend it. The film’s exploration of trauma and how it distorts relationships is both relatable and deeply unsettling. Anyone who has experienced a friendship strained by unspoken wounds and the individuals’ unhealthy patterns will find themselves nodding in uncomfortable recognition.
For women-centric stories, it is refreshing to see two complex female characters at the forefront, bolstered by strong performances from the male supporting cast too. After all: we thrive together!
Mothers’ Instinct may not be a perfect thriller, but it offers a gripping, if flawed, portrait of friendship gone…a bit insane. Whether it leaves you satisfied or slightly baffled, it is a film that demands a reaction—and sometimes, that is enough.
Mothers’ Instinct is now available on Prime Video.
~ by Dora Endre ~
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