Other Mommy

We could have had Legosi, or even Bartok, but no - this "Bela" (Arabella Olivia Clark) is just an ordinary little girl growing up in, yep you've already guessed - a family with some secrets to keep. Her "Daddo" (Jay Duplass) does most of her rearing as successful mommy (Jessica Chastain) is out making a good living for them all. It turns out, though, that it isn't just the parents who have secrets, "Bela" has one too - and it inhabits her closet. What becomes clear is that the young lass feels a bit neglected by her real mum and so this interloper is hoping to step into the breach - well, her heart actually, and so replace the real woman. "Bela" isn't the giving-in sort of gal and so after a while, the patience of her new friend starts to wear a little thin - just ask poor old "Uncle Frank" (Arian Moayed) whose later scenes are definitely the high point of this entirely derivative thriller. There's simply nothing new for anyone here, and the visual effects that may have stunned us back in the days of "Carrie" (1976) have long since lost their abilities to scare, or even to have us flinch in our chairs. Though her star has been on the wain of late, Chastain still looks as uninterested in her roles here as her doll-like impersonation of her doppelgänger suggests, and too many of the set-piece "horror" scenes are straight from the Janet and John DIY spook book. Karen Allen must surely still have "Indiana Jones" money so quite what she's doing here is anyone's guess - but it certainly doesn't add anything innovative to this disappointing factory effort.

When I was watching this movie, I kept thinking of Poltergeist. The plot is similar enough to Poltergeist to make the comparison. Only in this one they actually believe the kid straight off the bat, which is refreshing and works quite well. It is a very spooky movie and it does play very well. It's well acted and well produced, and some of the violence feels very earned when you get to the twist at the end. I really did enjoy this movie, and I think that you will too.