Other Mommy - She's No Other Mother

October continues throwing out horror films for spoooooky season. You'd think the best of the best would be in Spook-tober, but with so many heavy hitters at the start of the year with Obsession and Backrooms (haven't seen it yet, but its on my list), this months lineup has a lot to live up to.

While this one wasn't my favorite of the year, it had an interesting premise and it did the one thing few movies do...drops you right into the thick of it. The movie begins with a young girl, Bela, being tucked into bed and telling her "Other Mommy" she wants to keep playing.

Other Mommy clocks in at around 90-minutes, which is the sweet spot for any horror movie. It comes and does exactly what it's supposed to do. It tells the story, delivers some scares, a few to jump out at you, and rolls credits. That's one of the aspects I loved with this movie. You start with the build-up then the action begins and the familly has to find a way to fight off the entity.

The premise of the movie is a simple one. You have two parents, mom is a corportate business woman and the dad is stay-at-home. There's an obvious distance between them, and little Bela senses it. Which gives this entity an opening to get close to her. It wants one thing...to get inside Bela's heart. Essentially, taking her over.

Jessica Chastain does a great job in the dual role as Ursula and Other Mommy. Though after seeing the creepy smile, my Chastain-crush has diminished somehwhat...but man is she creepy as Other Mommy. Ursula, however, does have a few secrets she's keeping. So does her father.

The entity warns Bela her parents will break her heart and she can protect her if she lets her in. Meanwhile, her parents are doing everything in their power to keep her safe...including going to grandma, who knows people with a particular set of monster hunting skills.

Played by Karen Allen, Marion from Indy movies, takes in the family into her ginormous home and calls in her squad...goes as well as you think.

The final battle ends just as it should, and kinda proud that I had a similar element in Book 2 of my Alex Winters series Urban Legends...the little girl has to be the one to save herself, because its supposed to be her choice. She has to choose to let it in or send it away. She has to find that inner strength.

Other Mommy was no better or worse than most of the movies like it. It had a lot of great visuals and you wanted to see the family get through their crap and come out better on the other side.

The lowest moment was the end credit scene. If you're reading this, and haven't seen the movie, don't stick around for it. It was the vibes of Captain America in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Added nothing but the illusion Other Mommy is still out there.

Highly reccomend this for a watch. It won't be one I watch multiple times, but I'd watch again with people. It's a fun enough time. I don't know what they could have done or taken away to make it better, it was just okay. Nothing more, nothing less.

3/5