Welcome back to the scariest, and at times goriest, column here at Film Inquiry: Horrific Inquiry. Twice a month, I will be tackling all things horror, bringing two films back into the spotlight to terrify and frighten once more. And occasionally looking at those that could have pushed the envelope further. Join us as we dive deep into the heart of horror, but warning, there will be spoilers.
If there is one thing the horror genre is not short on, its mothers. Whether young or old, our relationships with our mothers are constant, albeit forever changing, and horror films are not afraid to tap into these relationship constructs – no matter the perspective or situation. Psycho, The Others, The Babbadook, Hereditary, Rosemary’s Baby, Mother, Carrie, and Friday the 13th (just to name a few) each develop their own approach and perspective on motherhood and the relationship to their children. Each deliver a new kind of horror.
In 2014, writer and directors Veronica Franz and Severin Fiala premiered their film Goodnight Mommy at the 2014 Venice Film Festival. A uniquely terrifying film reminiscent of horror classics, including The Others, The Sixth Sense, The Visit and The Uninvited, Goodnight Mommy was well received by critics and audiences alike. Following its release, Amazon Studios maintained the American tradition of remaking the film for western audiences. In 2022, Goodnight Mommy was released to their platform, sporting Naomi Watts in the titular character of Mother. And while the original delivers the terror in mystery and violence, director Matt Sobel‘s remake leaves as quietly as it arrived.
Lost in Misdirection
Sobel‘s Goodnight Mommy falls under the Horrific Inquiry category of “could have pushed the envelope further”. There are differences between the original film and the remake, but these difference do little to elevate the film and make itself stand out. Sobel‘s Goodnight Mommy is a decent stand alone horror, but when sized up to the original, it fails to instill the fear and horror from Franz and Fiala.
The film opens with a phone video of Mother (Watts) singing to her twins. Throughout the entirety of the video, Mother never turns around to look at the camera. We never see her face. It adds to the mystery of whether the woman the boys are left with shortly after is really their mother. We have nothing to compare the features that break free of the gauze head wrap that contains Mother’s face. And as the Mother is only shown singing, it is not just the recollection of the words that becomes important but the lack of knowledge to the woman’s voice as she speaks. Goodnight Mommy further compounds the ambiguity of Mother’s face, building on this mystery with behavior that does not align with the gentle and caring Mother in the video. It leaves viewers constantly question – is she their mother? or is there something more sinister at play?
Yet, this mystery does not last long. Where usually I find pride in “figuring out” a movie, here I was disappointed at how easy it was to figure out – how obvious the twist was. Much of this happens as the film weighs heavily on twin Elias (Cameron Corvetti), giving a disproportionate balance to twin brother Lukas (Nicholas Corvetti) and the Mother. The camera follows Elias, keeping him the core the action surrounds. Yet it is not just the camera, but the character interactions as well. Too often, Mother only address Elias, doing little to give attention to Lukas who is right behind him.
Even physical interaction is absent. The realization that Lukas is dead is clearest as the boys are exiting the barn. We are left to believe that Elias was either the last to leave or the only one to enter. As he works his way out the window, Mother reaches out and grabs his arm. She only touches and scolds Elias, with no reference to Lukas. And, with a wide open field, Lukas, even as a look out, would have been able to warn Elias of her approach – and he doesn’t. There are expected character behaviors in twins and families, and rather than truly twisting the possibilities presented, there is a lapse in awareness of the way characters typically interact and the void clearly seen here. Goodnight Mommy becomes a film not about what you see, but what you don’t.
While this disproportionate attention makes sense as Lukas is dead and living in the delusional mind of Elias, it feels there is little effort to hid it. And because it is easy to figure out the twist surrounding Lukas, much of the film is spent waiting to find out if you are correct, rather than sinking into the uncertainty and terror the film attempts to create.
With a Wimper Rather than a Roar
Compared to the original film, Sobel‘s Goodnight Mommy is fairly tame, leaning away from the violence and shock caused by the delusions of Elias. Working under the belief his brother is still alive and communicating with him, Elias ties up his Mother, believing her to be an imposter. Even with the twist yet to be revealed, it is creepy to watch the two boys interact, Lukas even giving the air of malice as he lies to his brother about the contact lenses in their Mother’s purse – the lenses that would have proven her true identity. It is given an even eerier tone with the underlying belief that Lukas is not really there, Elias consumed by his own delusions.
Yet, as creepy as the film unfolds, it lacks the shocking horror that made the original so successfully. The torture aspect to obtain the truth from Mother has been diminished, such as a sock gag replacing glued lips and a fall in the barn replacing being glued to the living room floor. The end result is the same, yet seemingly less impactful as the remake does not lean into the full potential of the film. By film’s end, viewers may find they are not left sitting with the sinking feeling of realization the film intends, but rather understanding that not all films are meant to be remade.
Goodnight Mommy is a decent horror vehicle, designed to entertain but lacking the stamina and direction to terrify.
Happy Mother’s Day!
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