Neon revealed the trailer for ‘Mothers’ Instinct’, a remake of a 2018 Belgian film under the same title based on the 2012 novel, ‘Behind the Hatred’ (Derrière la haine). The film is the directorial debut of seasoned cinematographer Benoît Delhomme.
Starring the film are Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Josh Charles, and Anders Danielsen Lie. ‘Mothers’ Instinct’ was first released in Lithuania on March 8, 2024.
Release Date
Directed by Benoît Delhomme, ‘Mothers’ Instinct’ opens in select US theaters on July 26, 2024 and on digital on August 13, 2024.
Synopsis
Set in the early ’60s, best friends and neighbors Alice (Chastain) and Celine (Hathaway) both live an idyllic traditional lifestyle with manicured lawns, successful husbands, and sons of the same age. Life’s perfect harmony is suddenly shattered after a tragic accident. Guilt, suspicion and paranoia combine to unravel their sisterly bond and a psychological battle of wills begins as the maternal instinct reveals its darker side.
In an interview with A Rabbit’s Foot, director Benoît Delhomme says about the story of the film, “You have these two houses side by side, with the two gardens connected by this hole in the hedge. And I love the symbolic space of that. To start, it’s very much like a theatre. There is this stage-like, old fashioned structure in this film. Celine stage right, Alice stage left. They both have busy husbands and they both have a child, a son. You think they are very balanced. The two kids are friends; the two women are friends. It’s Celine’s birthday. And very quickly this beautiful balance collapses. And how do you cope after the balance goes completely off? Celine has lost her child. How can life go on after this?”
Reviews
Barry Levitt in an Empire Magazine review praised the film giving it a 4/5 rating, writing “Sophisticated, adult thrillers are few and far between, and Mothers’ Instinct fills the void admirably. With vivid, striking imagery and top-notch production design, the film paints an exciting, moreish portrait of psychological intrigue.”
Guy Lodge of Variety gave the film a less glowing review, writing “Benoît Delhomme’s remake of 2018’s nifty Belgian shocker nestles blood-red horror in pastel-perfect domestic melodrama, but hasn’t the tonal control to keep us from snickering.”
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for ‘Mother’s Instinct’.