Lately, there's been a resurgence of horror movies that deal with motherhood. This includes Huesera: The Bone Woman, The First Omen, Immaculate and others. MOM, directed by Adam O'Brien, is the latest feature to focus on anxieties pertaining to motherhood. While the film contains an eerie atmosphere and a stellar performance by Emily Hampshire, it gives away its secrets too early. As a result, the film struggles to maintain its momentum.
Hampshire stars as Meredith, a new mom suffering from postnatal depression. She also feels misunderstood by her husband, Jared (François Arnaud). Though most people know Hampshire as Stevie on Schitt's Creek, she's not a stranger to horror movies. She had a role in the overlooked Appendage from 2023. Though she played a villain in that film, this is her darkest role yet. You start to wonder if Meredith's child, Alex, is safe in her presence. On the other hand, you can't blame Meredith for frequently lashing out. She feels alone and exhausted. The tension between husband and wife grows, and it's one of the script's finest points, adding an extra dose of conflict.
Rosemary's Baby is the obvious influence here. It's even cited in the press materials. Though MOM doesn't really have the cult/satanic element, it does depict the intense isolation of a young woman trapped by the responsibilities of motherhood. Meredith, rightfully so, increasingly feels like no one listens to her or meets her needs, especially her husband. The constant sound of the baby wailing and crying highlights her stress.
Meanwhile, O'Brien turns a familiar setting, in this case a suburban home, into the stuff of nightmares. Everything about the home feels foreboding and menacing. It doesn't help that a sinister presence, shown from the first sequence to nearly the last, torments Meredith. Somehow, a slightly older version of Alex, played by Christian Convery, warns his mom about what's coming. However, it may be too late.
The film's main flaw is that it gives away too much of the game before the halfway point. It explains the ghostly presence, as well as Meredith's shifting and increasingly turbulent moods. Had the film delayed some of its reveals, it likely would have functioned better. The movie could have done with a slightly tighter script that maintained more of the initial mystery. Because the big reveal comes so early, it makes the fallout and the second half of the film too predictable. It's easy to tell where it's all leading.
Though MOM has an uneven plot, it succeeds in establishing a haunting atmosphere while underscoring the challenges of becoming a new mom. Hampshire turns in her darkest performance yet, and hopefully, she will continue starring in horror movies.
MOM is now showing in select theaters. It will arrive on digital/VOD platforms on February 11.