You Are Not My Mother

This is a real good slow burn horror. People like to give bad reviews because it makes them feel emboldened. Pretty childish. Very good story that unfolds properly w a solid script. If you're into folklore coupled w horror then you're in good hands.

This isn't horror in any modern sense. This is horror in a very traditional sense. Maybe we need a separate category that isn't horror but is "scary if you have any understanding of how evil can also operate" for movies. This is what used to make things scary. Because it could be real. Because it could happen to you if you believe in things that aren't simple. The pacing, atmosphere, acting, setting, etc. Are all spot on. Europeans just have a heightened sense of what it would be like to experience things that happen slowly but happen nonetheless in spite of all your wishing it wouldn't happen. While I certainly appreciate a well done slasher, jump fest, over the top adrenaline rush, and "no don't do that" kind of horror, I also acknowledge the genius of an amazingly executed scary story. My thanks to those involved.

I saw the trailer for this and thought 'Wow, this looks like an Irish version of Insidious'. But sadly, it was nothing like it. Admittedly, it started quite well, but was very dull and boring throughout. Barely any actual horror, or monster visuals...and the makeup at the end looked silly, rather than scary. Not an awful 'fillum', but just another 'also ran'.

An absolutely unexpected gem. Dealing with old Irish folklore and mythology that isn't often acknowledged or featured in film and media was a brave and interesting move to take. Everyone here has heard the stories and loves to talk about them but rarely if ever do you get to see them brought to life. The film itself is very atmospheric, has great character development with certain characters, believeable arcs, a likeable cast and like all good horror films it gives you brief moments of reprieve due to an interesting narrative. It's also amazing to see actual Irish people and accents depicted in a film without falling into a caricature of stereotypes and false overacting which often happens in media portrayals. The accents are natural and normal, the dialogue and cadence is so relatable as an Irish person. Along with the portrayals of school and home life in Ireland. Set pieces are beautifully decorated with Irish nostalgia of grandparent's houses in particular. It also doesn't get bogged down in too artsy a feel which is often a trap for Irish horror filmmakers. You can see clear inspiration from certain classic horror films like the clever use of sound and camera angles for example really gave a 28 Days Later feel at points. It's not cheap jump scare horror or depressing and heavy throughout. It's a slow burn of an impending sense of doom and sadness with horror elements. Their handling of mental health struggles, bullying, family issues and even Garda response to such things is unfortunately accurate and really adds to the harrowing reality of it all. The main actor is also fantastic. For someone so young she shows amazing range and is captivating to watch grow throughout the film. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what she does in future as she no doubt has an impressive career ahead of her. The whole cast is solid and deliver excellent real life performances. All in all it's a solid watch. It has become my favourite Irish horror film by a country mile and for anyone who has even a passing interest in ancient Irish folklore and current culture it is a must watch in my opinion!!

Unlike some other reviews suggest: this movie is not boring. And Samhain / Halloween was most certainly around in Ireland and celebrated with bonfires etc. A long, long time before this movie was set. In my opinion, You Are Not My Mother is a simple, atmospheric horror movie. It has the feel of the Samhain / Halloween time of year in Ireland. For the most part the acting is strong. I found the scenes between the mother and daughter to be unsettling in a quiet way; which made them all the more frightening. It is edge of your seat from opening scenes to the end credits? No. Does it scream big budget, with lots of effects? No. But it doesn't need to. It does a damn good job of marrying folklore / mythology with horror, while also touching on the subjects of mental health and family relationships.

The opening scene of this movie is jaw-dropping. It sets the tone and tells the audience that anything is on the table. The first act does a nice job setting up the story and characters. It's generally well-made and has a cinematic feel. All systems go. All of a sudden it starts to drag with almost nothing moving the plot forward. And even worse, nothing scary happens in this supposed horror movie. I kept waiting for something spooky or eerie or creepy, but the second act was 99% setup. And the couple of scary moments are barely anything, very minor. In the third act, the nothingness continues with minimal escalation to a dud of a climax. Underwhelming is not a strong enough word for how this movie turned out. Zerowhelming (copyright FeastMode). This is topped off by some really stupid moments and hilariously over-the-top psychopathic murderous teenage bullies. If you asked me at the 30 minute mark, I would have guessed this would be at least 6 stars. But the next hour was a steady decline and then a plummet at the end. And the biggest failure a horror movie can have is zerowhelming scariness. (1 viewing, 4/17/2022)