Jessica Chastain’s supernatural horror film Other Mommy debuted in North American theaters with a weak Rotten Tomatoes score from critics, though box office projections still point to a solid No. 1 opening of roughly $20 million against a low budget.
Rob Savage Directs Jessica Chastain in Blumhouse Adaptation
Directed by Rob Savage, the Blumhouse and Atomic Monster production adapts Josh Malerman’s 2024 bestselling novel Incidents Around the House. The supernatural chiller features Jessica Chastain in dual roles as Ursula, a mother, and the titular “Other Mommy,” a demonic entity that haunts her young daughter, Bela.
The supporting cast features Arabella Olivia Clark as Bela and Jay Duplass as her father, Russell, alongside Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed, and Karen Allen. Nathan Elston penned the screenplay for the R-rated feature, which runs for one hour and 33 minutes and is produced by James Wan.
Filmmaker Rob Savage noted in interviews that his lead star is an absolute horror fan who completely understands the assignment and is able to achieve the technicality that horror needs while delivering a raw, emotional performance in dual capacities.
Jay Duplass praised his costar as the sharpest knife in the drawer who can cut to whatever tone is required with remarkable speed, which proved genuinely helpful for everyone on set.
“The great thing about Jessica is she is an absolute horror fan, and she completely understands the assignment. She knows exactly what you’re doing. You can go up to her and say, ‘Well, we need the audience to feel this. We want them to think that you’re the mother character, but just give us like 5% distrust. Give us 5% other mommy so the audience will lean forward.’ She’s like, ‘Okay, watch this,’ and you’ll be looking at the monitor and she’s got it.”
Rob Savage, Director
Critics Pan Release While Universal Skips Screenings
Universal Studios opted to skip advance screenings for critics ahead of the release, holding reviews until after Thursday preview screenings. When the embargo lifted, the film landed firmly in negative territory, accumulating an 18% approval rating across 28 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, placing it among the worst-reviewed horror movies of the year alongside titles like Psycho Killer
and Sleepwalker
.
Critics pointed to repetitive jump scares, sloppy direction, and an unremarkable score.
Variety labeled the project among the most limp and ineffectual works to debut on screen this year, while Bloody Disgusting described the movie as so flat and devoid of tension that by film’s end, you’re more likely to laugh or groan at the absurd lengths this family will go to avoid therapy
.
Analysts Forecast Top Spot Despite Negative Reviews
Deadline estimates a debut of about $20 million from approximately 3,200 locations, matching the production’s reported $19 million net budget, as industry analysts expect the film to claim the top spot at the North American box office despite the critical reception.
The release faces counter-programming from Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning, which also launched with mixed notices and a 58% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
So flat and devoid of tension that by film’s end, you’re more likely to laugh or groan at the absurd lengths this family will go to avoid therapy