Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Psychological thriller has child death, drinking, smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Mothers' Instinct
What's the Story?
In MOTHERS' INSTINCT, it's the 1960s, and next-door neighbors Alice (Jessica Chastain) and Celine (Anne Hathaway) are the best of friends, as are their husbands and sons. But after Celine's son dies in an accident, Alice's own feelings of guilt, anxiety, and paranoia leave her unsure whether she can trust Celine, who needs her now more than ever.
Is It Any Good?
With Hitchcockian flair, cinematographer Benoit Delhomme makes a memorable directorial debut with this thriller that allows two great actresses to go head to head. Sending Chastain and Hathaway back to the 1960s, Mothers' Instinct captures many aspects of the dream of the United States' often idealized "Camelot" era (the style! garden parties! women meeting their husbands at the door with drinks!). But before anyone gets too wistful, the filmmakers also wag a finger by showing us at least some of the reality of that life (the patriarchy! lack of agency! husbands threatening to institutionalize their wives!).
Alice and Celine represent two sides of the mid-20th century suburban housewife coin: one who longs to return to her career, and one who relishes the "trad wife" life. As the events unfold, viewers learn that Alice is managing a deep-rooted anxiety that manifests as paranoia, which throws many aspects of the story into narratively productive doubt. Is Alice an unreliable narrator? Are we watching a game of cat and mouse—and, if so, who's the cat, and who's the mouse? Will someone end up being lobotomized? And, hmmmm: Is this story female-forward or female-backward? There are many questions in this thriller based on the French novel Derrière la haine by Barbara Abel that will keep you alert and guessing until the final reveal.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Mothers' Instinct glamorizes drinking or smoking. When films show characters from previous eras when smoking was prevalent, does it change how you feel about it?
What makes someone a good friend? What behavior do Alice and Celine show in their friendship before things change for them?
How does Alice demonstrate curiosity, and why is it an important life skill? As the title indicates, in Alice's case, curiosity is a result of her instincts. Why is that combination relevant to a reporter like Alice?
What is an unreliable narrator? How does this film toy with viewers' doubts about the accuracy of what they're seeing?
What was life like in the early 1960s for women? How do you think those experiences varied by race and socioeconomic status?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 26, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : August 13, 2024
- Cast : Jessica Chastain , Anne Hathaway , Josh Charles
- Director : Benoît Delhomme
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Neon
- Genre : Thriller
- Topics : Book Characters , Friendship
- Run time : 94 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some violence and brief sexuality
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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