Movie No. 58 (2015): GOODNIGHT MOMMY

Goodnight Mommy (2014)
Director: Severin Fiala / Veronika Franz
Cast: Lukas Schwarz, Elias Schwarz, Susan Wuest
In German, with English subtitle

How do you make a movie out of an isolated house, identical twins, a divorce, and a plastic surgery? Smells like a horror movie is in the offing. This Austrian movie (Goodnight Mommy) proves it can be made. And it can be made excellently.

The movie is slow; it takes time to develop the characters. But when everything makes sense, one will realize how excellently written the movie is. To say the twist or twists are genius is an understatement. I've seen some good films of similar plots, but this particular movie can still be considered a breath of fresh air. Wow - did I utter expletives when everything made sense, and when I realized I was actually watching a horror film (one that may not be for everyone's liking)? Brilliant.

Everything about this movie is praiseworthy: that cinematography that helps depict deceptive, nightmarish scenes, the tense musical score, and the excellent performances.

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: November 8, 2015