The title of this film comes to mind as concerning in that it implies a parent senses wrongful or disconcerting matters. Thestoryline vibes with housewives’ scenarios going awry discreetly. Mothers’ Instinct tackles the subject matter on an eerie path. It follows the personalities of two friends who are neighbors. In the wake of a devastating event, a series of detrimental consequences are unleashed. Directed by Benoit Delhomme, Mothers’ Instinct is written with an underlying layer of mistrust guided by red flag patterns.
The plot is centered around the 1950’s time frame. It is set in a time when the husbands are the ones making the dough to provide for families, and the wives are staying home to do the many home duties including taking care of the children. The film focuses on two friends who are also mothers, housewives, and neighbors, and they are Alice (played by Jessica Chastain) and Celine (played by Anne Hathaway). Both are stay-at-home moms with husbands on successful career paths. The happy life of one is disrupted by an upsetting tragedy. That tragic event opens a can of worms with unforeseen consequences in Mothers’ Instinct.
With the term “unforeseen” there is a blur between the film’s line of friendship and trust. This is all in the performances of Chastain and Hathaway and under the direction of Delhomme. The tragedy has occurred in the life of Celine, and Alice is the one who senses what may have gone wrong in the told scenario is not the full truth. She suspects Celine is detrimental and insane. The characterizations are faithful to the context of knowing little leading to major consequences. Its execution though, not so exhilarating.
In all, a clear context, yet the storyline is a setup around discomfort that does not have value. It only finds itself to create peril through characterizations created by stressful moments. The pattern begins with a fatality, moves on to another detrimental situation, and then continues with even more weird moving parts. A lot of it has to do with the thoughts of a mother wanting to protect her child. The dangerous one is Celine, and the protective one is Alice. There is a scene that creates a tone for Celine to be unstable, however, the film in and of itself is all “unstable.” It boils down to melancholy with layers of tension and revenge that is not fulfilling or unique.
It soon descends into boredom despite the deception of these two daring mothers. The inner thought of concern is where the line of the film does not get crossed vigorously. Those “inner thoughts” are through the eyes of Alice and Celine. A bipolar disorder that spirals to compete, as both parties go insane on drastic levels of absurdity. It feels meaningless.
I did find that the background of the film’s characterization generates an emphasis on the personalities of its two main characters. The fact that they are the ones at home with their children and have utmost concerns. Overall, though, the motherly side of them is where Mothers’ Instinct is a drag in its mode of creating psychological suspense. The jealousy side and controversial side lacks context. Instead of building a foundation, it flows with a bizarre layout of over-assumptions.Two out of four stars for Mothers’ Instinct.
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