Mommy issues? Emmett (Kyle Gallner: Jennifer’s Body 2009, Smile 2022) swears he has not got any… after all he can barely remember his mother. She abandoned him as a young child, and he has not seen her since. His girlfriend Anya (Holland Roden: Teen Wolf series, Follow Me 2020) would agree – she also does not have any ‘Mommy issues.’ Yes, her psychiatrist mother struggles with affection and warmth, but at least she never abandoned her. This is a glimpse into the new Psychological Thriller Mother May I? which hit theaters and VOD on July 21, 2023 via Dark Sky Films.
As Mother May I? opens, Emmett’s mother has just died and left her large country house to him in her will. Shocked that his mother left him anything at all, Emmett plans to flip the house as soon as possible and use the money to start a family of his own. Anya sees their trip to the country as a way for Emmett to work through his lingering issues and anger towards his mother, and thus be a better parent himself when the time comes. Entering into an unusual therapy exercise, events become even more strange when Anya appears to take on the persona of Emmett’s mother. Soon Emmett begins to realize that he can no longer tell if this is some psychological game or if his mother has not yet moved on.
Directed by Laurence Vannicelli (Body of Crime 2014, Verna 2015), Mother May I? sounds like it should be a Horror movie, but really it is much more akin to a Psychosexual Drama. Thus those entering into this expecting jump scares or even frights may well be disappointed. Mother May I? is predominantly a two piece between Gallner and Roden. As such the film entirely relies on their performances and luckily they both deliver with Roden being especially engaging as she juggles two characters.
Mother May I? is a slow burn film and it never spells anything out for the audience. Whilst this may frustrate some film goers, the film’s ambiguity is arguably its greatest strength. Not only does it allow Mother May I? to hold its intrigue throughout, it also lends itself to multiple theories for the audience to ponder over. The film looks at trauma, both repressed and unlocked. It also looks at relationships, both familial and romantic. And with both of these elements it looks at how we communicate and how that communication can ultimately lead to something good or something not so good.
Overall, Mother May I? is a fascinating character study that uses its intentional ambiguity well, but may prove divisive for those looking for a more traditional Horror. That is why Cryptic Rock gives it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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