This article discusses 10 films like Goodnight Mommy you must watch.
Goodnight Mommy is a remake of the Austrian film under the same name that was released in 2014. The twin brothers arrive at their mother’s house and begin to suspect that something isn’t right. Naomi Watts is the lead in the film as she explores this unique maternal figure. The boys did not know what to expect at all when they returned home but director Matt Sobel created a sinister atmosphere for them. The film takes place in one location and while the boys try to uncover what is happening in the house, the secrets are revealed slowly. The movies on this list all have a maternal figure or family unit that ends up changing the course of the story. These films all take place in one home or location to create a level of seclusion for the viewer.
Like For Like – 10 films like Goodnight Mommy you must watch
Mother (2017)
Director Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! is like a fever dream for women everywhere. It is a religious allegory as Aronofsky explores creation through the embodiment of mother earth. In this film a couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. When the film is set in a house there are endless possibilities for what could turn up. These visitors symbolically show how the world is being affected by humans. Goodnight Mommy takes place in a mother’s home and you could feel her within the walls, similar to Jennifer Lawrence’s role in mother!
The Babadook (2014)
Mama (2013)
Relic (2020)
A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family’s home. Some writers can tastefully explore mental illness when constructing horrors or thrillers. Relic is one of those films that unfolds at a slow pace to make the viewer understand the extent of the illness. It manages to bring together three generations of women through memories and trauma.
Sinister (2012)
Hereditary (2018)
Director Ari Aster’s directorial feature debut Hereditary is a more twisted psychological horror. A grieving family is haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences. The film starts with a dysfunctional family trying to process their grief which eventually turns into something else. Toni Colette’s performance is something to be seen as it leans towards the superiority of the mother over her children.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
Ready Or Not (2019)
This film is a bit more fun than the others on the list, but it doesn’t stop it from being a tad bit scary. Ready Or Not ties into the family unit is a bit eccentric and unpredictable. A bride’s wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game. The game takes place within the mansion and there are many secrets to uncover. You can see the cracks in the walls eventually parallel the cracks in the lies the family tells.
Halloween (2018)
When we see Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) again after many years, she has a daughter and a granddaughter who all end up falling into the same cycle she did. She confronts her long-time foe, Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago. Even though it’s a bit repetitive, the three generations of women change the dynamic entirely. They even explore the difference in generations in Goodnight Mommy.
Do you have any other recommendations for films like Goodnight Mommy? Let us know!