There are those dreadful horrors that do exactly as they say on the tin. You Are Not My Mother is an example of that, a folk horror that explores the unreal, featuring something we have not seen portrayed in a very long time.
The plot is about an isolated teen names Char whose mother suddenly disappears without a trace one day. She returns the next day different and acting very bizarre. Char suspects her mother is something more, something different, and discovers a deep dark secret that remained hidden from her
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After a harrowing intro, this film relies on very effective jump scares to build up for the horrors that come. You have to feel bad for Char in a way between dealing with a bad family situation and constantly getting bullied at school. One of the bullies befriends her, and there is an implied protector/romantic dynamic between the two.
The grandmother who lives with her is very sus, and it seems like the uncle knows more than what he is telling as well. When they finally tell Char the truth about her mother as well as an incident that happened when Char was born, it is very shocking experience for her. Which is very understandable. It makes her fear her mother even more as well as more determined how to put a stop to things before they get worse.
The themes are of the bonds between a mother and daughter, and how to cope when those bonds are fragmented. Char is clearly traumatized by her mother’s treatment of her to the point she developed OCD. Once she confronts her mother which us nightmare fuel alone mind you, the ending sees hope that the two can fix what was broken. Maybe meaning more happy moments in the future.
This film was quite a nail biter, not helped by the jarring score. It was something I went into blind, which made the experience something unexpectedly scary. It is currently streaming on Hulu if you decide to watch it for yourself.
If you already seen You Are Not My Mother, feel free to leave your thoughts below!
Till next time, stay scared!
-Tha Thrilla-
