‘Other Mommy’ First Reviews Are Brutal: What Critics Are Saying About Jessica Chastain’s Horror Movie
Universal Pictures
Jessica Chastain is returning to theaters with a new horror movie, but the first reviews aren’t looking good.
The 49-year-old Oscar-winning actress stars in Other Mommy, which opens in theaters on Friday (October 9).
The movie follows an 8-year-old girl named Bela, played by Arabella Olivia Clark, who encounters a frightening entity that looks and sounds just like her mother.
Jessica plays both Bela’s mother and the mysterious creature.
The film is directed by Rob Savage. It’s based on the novel Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, who also wrote Bird Box.
Now, early reviews are arriving, and several critics have some harsh things to say about the movie.
What are critics saying about Other Mommy?
The first reviews have been mostly negative, with critics taking issue with the movie’s scares, pacing and storytelling.
Doug Jamieson of The Jam Report gave the film one and a half out of five stars.
He criticized its jump scares, visual effects and ending, describing the film as one of the year’s biggest horror disappointments, calling it “truly dreadful.”
OTHER MOMMY is truly dreadful. Despite one of the silliest horror plots of the year and a woeful script, it takes itself so staggeringly seriously. An endless parade of ineffective jump scares, awful CGI, and a finale that drew unintentional laughter several times. #OtherMommy pic.twitter.com/CUlRVdAUJe
— Doug Jamieson (@itsdougjam) October 8, 2026
Peter Gray of The AU Review gave Other Mommy two out of five stars.
He felt the movie started with an interesting premise but failed to follow through, describing it as “more silly than scary.”
#OtherMommy: Despite that trailer and one surprisingly gory sequence, this INSIDIOUS-lite supernatural “horror” flick is more silly than it is scary. Jessica Chastain commits but that isn’t enough to overcome the stupidity. pic.twitter.com/YIGqErTv6m
— Peter Gray (@ratedPDG) October 8, 2026
Simon Foster of SCREEN-SPACE gave it a scathing one and a half star review, calling it “ponderously paced, over-directed with gimmicky flourishes and confusing in its half-baked message.”
Global Box Office gave it two and a half out of five stars, saying it’s “one of Jessica Chastain’s very worst movies.”
The Mattinee Show gave a three out of five review, praising some “genuinely unsettling moments,” but ultimately declaring it “messier than scary.”
Heaven of Horror was more positive in their three out of five review, acknowledging that while they didn’t care for one element of the ending, there are “plenty of sinister moments to look forward to.”
What is Other Mommy‘s Rotten Tomatoes score?
As of Thursday (October 8), Other Mommy does not have an official Rotten Tomatoes score.
The site currently lists zero reviews toward its Tomatometer, even though several critics have published their reactions elsewhere. That means it’s still too early to know how the movie will score once more reviews are added.
What is Other Mommy about?
The horror movie follows Bela, whose family life becomes even more frightening when a supernatural presence starts taking the appearance of her mother.
The film also stars Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed and Karen Allen.
The movie has already generated discussion because of its frightening trailer and unusual title.
Earlier this week, Jessica explained why the movie is called Other Mommy instead of Other Mother, sharing the real-life story that inspired the original book.
Other Mommy hits theaters on Friday, October 9.
Watch the official trailer below!
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