Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (October 1, 2024)
A blurb on the cover of the Blu-ray for Mothers’ Instinct praises it as “a love letter to classic Hitchcock”. That sets a high bar for the thriller.
Set in the US suburbs in 1960, best pals/housewives Celine Jennings (Anne Hathaway) and Alice Bradford (Jessica Chastain) seem to enjoy idyllic lives. Alice seems to miss her career as a journalist, but otherwise all appears right in their worlds.
This veneer shatters when a tragic accident befalls one of their children. Repercussions emerge that threaten relationships and the general peace in the neighborhood.
With two Oscar-winning actors as its leads, I hoped that Instinct would vault over the tall hurdle I mentioned in the first paragraph. Unfortunately, the end result flops.
For one, we get too many unnecessary plot complications right out of the gate related to Alice’s desire to return to work and Celine’s inability to bear a second baby. These pay off eventually but only in a clumsy manner that makes their awkward introduction in the first act even more problematic.
From there, Instinct becomes a slow burn – a really slow burn, as the story feels stuck in neutral for too long. Extended periods pass without any real development.
Eventually the screenplay slaps itself and realizes it needs to turn into a thriller. At that point, it goes into Bonkers Mode.
At its core, Instinct offers the bones of an effective psychological drama. As we see the characters unravel, we question their views of reality.
Unfortunately, Instinct evolves these elements in such a melodramatic manner that it loses points. Rather than follow a gradual path that would make the audience wonder, it opts for easy and cheesy shifts.
These prompt eye-rolls more than tension. As the story gets kookier, it becomes less and less interesting.
As much as I like Hathaway and Chastain, neither can do much with their flawed roles. While it wants to get under the viewer’s skin, instead Instinct just causes annoyed exasperation.