Hathaway and Chastain Shine in Motherly Masterclass

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The Big Picture

• Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway headline an enthralling yet forgettable drama that disappoints with a predictable twist.
• The film’s uneven tone and narrative direction detract from strong performances by Hathaway and Chastain.
• Mothers’ Instinct initially explores grief and mental illness effectively but falters with a jarring, unsatisfying ending.

In 1960s suburban white picket fence America, just as JFK is running for president, Céline (Hathaway), her husband Damian (Josh Charles), and their eight-year-old son Max live an idyllic life in their grand house with a porch and balcony wrapping around. Their neighbors and best friends are the nervous mother Alice (Chastain), her husband Simon (Anders Danielsen Lie), and their son Theo, who is Max’s best friend.

Mothers’ Instinct is told from the perspective of Alice, and Chastain is an empathetic protagonist. She’s a traumatized but strong and smart woman who has no one in her corner as her life descends into madness. Together, as they have their mother off (sorry, I had to), Hathaway and Chastain are a formidable pair. In between all the tense exchanges of pleasantries and stumbling over Freudian slips, the two women have the chance to let all social cues go and let rip, and seeing that happen is the highlight of the movie.

The movie probably would have made much larger waves if it was released in the mid-2000s. A claustrophobic, mannerly drama, it feels like part Stepford Wives and part The Hours, but still never reaching the heights of either of those movies. If it explored the characters more and didn’t try to shoehorn in a drastic twist and tragic ending, it might have come out feeling more substantial and thematic. Still, Chastain and Hathaway make it worth the watch, even if it’s nowhere close to being among the best of their works.

Mothers’ Instinct is an entertaining, well-acted drama that falters under the weight of its shocking ending.

Pros

• The first half of Mothers’ Instinct is an emotionally charged drama looking at the devastating effects of grief.
• Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain turn in committed performances as best friends who grow more suspicious of each other.

Cons

• The movie feels somewhat derivative and predictable at times, failing to fully explore its themes of gender dynamics, grief, and mental illness.
• Its twist ending feels like a cheap gimmick, and goes against what the first half of the movie set itself up to be.

Mothers’ Instinct is now playing in limited theaters in the U.S. and is available to stream on VOD starting August 13. Click below for showtimes near you.

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Conclusion

Mothers’ Instinct is a well-intentioned but ultimately disappointing drama that fails to fully explore its themes of grief and mental illness. While Chastain and Hathaway turn in committed performances, the movie’s predictable twist and poor narrative direction hold it back from being truly effective.

FAQs

Q: Is Mothers’ Instinct based on a true story?
A: No, the movie is not based on a true story.

Q: How does the movie handle its themes of grief and mental illness?
A: The movie explores these themes effectively in its first half, but falters with a jarring and unsatisfying ending.

Q: Are the performances in the movie any good?
A: Yes, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain turn in committed performances as best friends who grow more suspicious of each other.