Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gruesome Chastain creeper is full of body horror; language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Other Mommy
What's the Story?
About to start a new school, 7-year-old Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark) hasn't made friends in her new community yet. That is, except for OTHER MOMMY, the loving entity that hides in her closet and is a doppelgänger for her mother (Jessica Chastain). Other Mommy pleads with Bela to let her into the girl's heart, showing her devotion in ways that become increasingly more threatening. The movie is based on from Josh Malerman's novel Incidents Around the House.
Is It Any Good?
A title so rich with possibility combined with Chastain's feminism and talent might seem perfect for moms' night outings, but it's more likely to leave women staring at each other, dumbfounded. Other Mommy's big reveal is, frankly, anti-mommy, reveling a warped sense of feminism in a film written, produced, and directed by men. It's a letdown, and it's lazy.
A thriller about a doppelgänger mother nurturing a lonely girl who's about to start a new school is an imaginative and metaphorical opportunity—but instead, we're given a live-action Coraline. Situations, motivations, character histories, and outcomes are barely explained. Instead, the premise is used to create graphic body horror and allow Chastain entry into the creepy-smile club (sorry, Smile and Obsession did it better). The bar can be low for supernatural scary movies, and horror fans might enjoy the fast-moving creep show—just don't expect the story to make sense. Like many a parent, director Rob Savage offers just one explanation: "Because I said so!"
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Other Mommy's violence and creepiness. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
What does "body horror" mean? How is it different from other types of horror? Is it scary to you? Why, or why not?
Why does Other Mommy attach to Bela? How can household tensions affect kids?
Why do you think the story is told from a child's point of view? Is it meant for kids Bela's age? Why, or why not?
Talk about the movie's central themes: What makes us human, and what makes someone a good parent?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 9, 2026
- Cast : Jessica Chastain , Arabella Olivia Clark , Jay Duplass
- Director : Rob Savage
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Book Characters , Family Stories ( Dads , Moms )
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some bloody violence, and language
- Last updated : October 9, 2026
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