[GOODNIGHT MOMMY
opens in Akron on Friday October 2nd at the Nightlight Cinema.]
Review by Bob Ignizio
A psychological thriller from co-writers/directors Veronika
Franz and Severin Fiala, GOODNIGHT MOMMY
is about ten year old twin boys (Elias and Lukas Schwartz, playing characters
of the same first names) who don’t believe that their mother (Suzanne Wuest) is
really their mother. Mom has recently returned home after undergoing some kind
of surgery that left her face fully bandaged, so we can understand she might
not be feeling completely herself., But as her behavior towards the children
grows increasingly harsh and strange, the most extreme example being her
refusal to talk to Lukas or even acknowledge his presence, we can’t help but
share the twins’ apprehensions.
A photo the boys find of their mother with another identically
dressed woman gives further fuel to their (and the audience’s) suspicions.
Still, Mom continues to maintain that she is who she says she is. Seeing no other
way to get to the truth, the kids tie mom to her bed and proceed to interrogate
her in a manner that even Jack Bauer might find a bit harsh. At this point, we
in the audience are forced to question our initial sympathies and assumptions.
The film skillfully toys with viewers, and even if one guesses its shocking and
heartbreaking secrets before they are revealed, it still packs considerable
punch.
GOODNIGHT MOMMY
always seems at a distance from its characters, exuding a cold, dispassionate
atmosphere as it slowly but steadily ratchets up the tension. Even when the
kids are playing outside, or leave home altogether looking for help from the
local parish priest (Hans Escher), it feels heavily claustrophobic, adding to
the sense that there’s no way out for these characters. Or at least no good way
out.
Thanks to a highly effective trailer, GOODNIGHT MOMMY has created a bit of a buzz, something not easy to
do for a foreign language film in the U.S. Of course that can cut both ways,
and the expectations the trailer seems to raise by selling the film as being a
super scary horror film may wind up hurting it. It’s certainly unsettling and
disturbing, and there are a few scenes that will likely deliver that frisson
that horror fans crave, but this is also very much a serious drama. If you go
into GOODNIGHT MOMMY expecting the
same kinds of thrills and chills you’d get out of a slasher film or the latest INSIDIOUS or PARANORMAL ACTIVITY sequel, you will be hugely disappointed. Taken on its own terms, however, GOODNIGHT MOMMY is very nearly a
masterpiece, yet another first rate horror (or horrir-ish) film in a year that
has been an especially good one for the genre. 3 ½ out of 4 stars.
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