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Horror film

Other Mommy (2026): Cast, Ratings & Plot

Other Mommy (2026) movie poster

Other Mommy is a 2026 horror film directed by Rob Savage, starring Jessica Chastain as Other Mommy, Ursula, Hayley Spelman and Arabella Olivia Clark. It runs 1 hour 33 minutes. Critics gave it 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and 33 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes
17%
Echo Score
40
Metascore
33
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Other Mommy (2026) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 33m (93 min)
Director
Rob Savage
Genre
Horror
Original language
English
The story

What Is Other Mommy About?

The premise of Other Mommy without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Eight‑year‑old Bela, struggling with the strain of her parents’ troubled marriage, discovers a dark presence emerging from her closet. She calls it “Other Mommy.” As the entity’s influence spreads, its threat escalates, endangering Bela, her family, and the fragile peace of their home.

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Cast & crew

Other Mommy Cast & Characters

Jessica Chastain leads the cast as Other Mommy, Ursula, with Hayley Spelman as Other Mommy and Arabella Olivia Clark as Bela. Directed by Rob Savage; 16 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

Other Mommy Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Other Mommy 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and 33 on Metacritic. Our Echo Score gives it 40/100, strongest in character & emotion (58) and weakest in rewatch factor (25).

40 /100

Other Mommy Echo Score Breakdown

Other Mommy earns a largely negative reception, with its reliance on surface-level scare tactics outweighing its occasional strengths in atmosphere and performance. The film begins with promise before slipping into diminishing returns, as escalating effects sap the tension established in its early minutes. Sentiment also points to an identity crisis: the blend of horror and emotional drama leaves loose threads, and the scares read as programmatic rather than genuinely unsettling. A minority of responses found the brisk momentum entertaining, but the prevailing impression is an attractive yet hollow genre entry.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 47

    Directorial craft receives a divided but negative-leaning response. The film is described as visually attractive with a tightly measured runtime, and its opening sequence is singled out as genuinely effective. Yet the direction is repeatedly faulted for privileging jolts over sustained dread, producing escalating spectacle that drains tension rather than compounding it. The net impression is polished production values harnessed to shallow scare mechanics.

  • Character & Emotion 58

    Performances stand out as the film's most consistent strength. The lead actress is praised even within otherwise harsh assessments, and the characters are sometimes described as smart and realistically flawed. When it comes to emotional resonance, sentiment is cooler: the shift toward heartfelt material reportedly leaves dangling threads, and early charm is said to fade. Acting elevates material the emotional writing only partly supports.

  • Story & Flow 32

    Story and flow draw the harshest criticism. Reviews cite lack of originality, half-baked mythology, and a slide into absurdity that makes events progressively less effective, while the ending is called rushed and the humor poorly timed. Positive notes remain: pacing is tight, the premise arrives quickly, and momentum kept some viewers engaged. The net picture is an unfocused narrative with occasional forward drive.

  • Sensory Experience 54

    Sensory elements emerge as a relative strength despite the film's problems. The atmosphere is described as sustained and unsettling, with a solid score and creature designs reported as legitimately creepy. As the effects escalate, sentiment splits: the spectacle is said to grow absurd and less frightening, and the shifting tone is called jarring at points. The net effect is strong atmosphere undercut by overreaching spectacle.

  • Rewatch Factor 25

    Rewatch prospects are the film's weakest dimension. Sentiment indicates little lasting appeal: many found it forgettable, some noted the trailer outperformed the film itself, and the general reaction suggests a single viewing is more than sufficient. There is mild counter-sentiment, with some finding it entertaining enough for a one-time group outing, yet nothing proposes returning to it. The film registers as a disposable genre experience.

Plot

Other Mommy Plot Summary

What happens in Other Mommy from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film starts in the home of the Martin family. Father (or “daddo”) Russell (Jay Duplass) is playing with daughter Isabela/”Bela” (Arabella Olivia Clark) when mother Ursula (Jessica Chastain) comes to tell Bela to go to bed. After her parents leave, Bela whispers for her “Other Mommy” to come out so she can keep playing. She goes to the closet door a few times, where a golden flash of light shines in Bela’s face.

Full summary

The whole story of Other Mommy, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Other Mommy?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
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  10. Question 10: not answered

What affectionate nickname does Bela use for her father Russell?

Seen Other Mommy?

FAQ

Other Mommy FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and ratings of Other Mommy, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Other Mommy?

Other Mommy runs 1 hour 33 minutes (93 minutes).

When was Other Mommy released?

Other Mommy was released on October 9, 2026.

Who directed Other Mommy?

Other Mommy was directed by Rob Savage.

More films by Rob Savage

Who is in the cast of Other Mommy?

Other Mommy stars Jessica Chastain as Other Mommy, Ursula, Hayley Spelman as Other Mommy and Arabella Olivia Clark as Bela, among 16 credited actors.

How is Other Mommy rated?

Other Mommy has 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and 33 on Metacritic.

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