No, most critics say "Other Mommy" isn't worth watching in theaters. The 2026 supernatural horror film from director Rob Savage landed a Tomatometer score of just 19% from 37 reviews shortly after its October 9, 2026 release, one of the weaker showings of the year for a wide studio horror release (Comic Book Movie). Jessica Chastain stars in dual roles as Ursula, a mother, and a demonic doppelganger trying to replace her and take over her daughter Bela's life inside the family home (Slash Film). The premise drew praise for its ambition, but nearly every major review cites the same problem: the scares don't land.
Table of Contents
- What Is "Other Mommy" About?
- What Do Critics Actually Say?
- Do Regular Audiences Agree With Critics?
- Is It Appropriate for Family or Younger Viewers?
- Should You See It in Theaters, Wait for Streaming, or Skip It?
What Is "Other Mommy" About?
The film is a Blumhouse/Atomic Monster production released in US theaters on October 9, 2026, after being pushed back from an earlier date on the 2026 slate (Comic Book Movie). It adapts Josh Malerman's novel "Incidents Around the House," with Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed, and Karen Allen rounding out the cast (The Viewer's Guide).
Chastain's dual performance sits at the center of the story: a mother named Ursula confronts an entity that mimics her so it can take her place with her daughter. That domestic-horror setup, a trusted parent replaced by something wearing her face, is the hook critics generally credit even when they fault the execution around it.
What Do Critics Actually Say?
The consensus is blunt. Bloody Disgusting's review called the film formulaic and too haphazard to generate real scares, leaving viewers apathetic rather than frightened (Bloody Disgusting). Dread Central reached a similar verdict, describing it as a "generic funhouse of horror" that is seldom scary despite its premise (Dread Central).
Not every take is a write-off. Slash Film's review found the movie underwhelming overall but occasionally effective, arguing that the premise and Chastain's performance deserved stronger execution than they got (Slash Film). Regional outlet The Leader gave it two stars, noting the brisk 92-minute runtime (rated MA15+) keeps it from dragging, even as thinly developed characters undercut the story (The Leader). The throughline across reviews: a strong hook, a committed lead performance, and a script or direction that doesn't deliver consistent tension.
Do Regular Audiences Agree With Critics?
Secondhand reporting points to a split reaction. Opening-weekend audiences reportedly gave the film a 47% Rotten Tomatoes audience score and a D+ CinemaScore, both signs of a notably negative general-audience response rather than a "critics are too harsh" gap (Digg).
That figure comes from secondhand reporting and should be treated as less certain than the critic Tomatometer. A D+ CinemaScore in particular signals that people who paid for a ticket, not just critics, walked out disappointed. Combined with the sub-20% critic score, the two measures point the same direction rather than contradicting each other.
Is It Appropriate for Family or Younger Viewers?
The film carries an MA15+ rating in Australia, which restricts it to viewers 15 and older (The Leader). Common Sense Media's parents' guide rated the film harshly, calling it a letdown that leans on graphic body horror (Common Sense Media).
That combination, an age-restricted rating plus a parents' guide flagging graphic content, makes this one to screen alone first if a teen in the house is curious. It is not framed as family viewing by any outlet in the reporting.
Should You See It in Theaters, Wait for Streaming, or Skip It?
For most readers, waiting is the lower-risk option. With critic scores in the high teens and a D+ audience grade, the data lines up against a theatrical ticket purchase for anyone who isn't already a Jessica Chastain completist or a horror-adaptation specialist curious about the Malerman source novel.
- Skip it entirely: if you want a horror movie that's reliably scary, not just ambitious.
- Wait for streaming: if you're drawn to Chastain's dual performance or the mother/doppelganger premise and want to judge the execution yourself at lower cost.
- See it now: only if the 92-minute runtime and a committed lead performance (per Slash Film) matter more to you than the overall critical and audience consensus.