‘What have you done with our mum?’
I’m sorry to any identical twins reading this, but identical twins are creepy. The Shining told us this with the Grady girls, and Goodnight Mommy continues the theme. Goodnight Mommy, an Austrian psychological horror film which has recently been granted a, no doubt underwhelming, American remake starring Naomi Watts, explores the strange link between identical twins whilst also finding time to comment on trauma and what it means to be a mother. It is also one of those films that it is best to go into knowing absolutely nothing…
Following an accident, identical twins Lukas (Lukas Schwarz) and Elias (Elias Schwarz) become convinced that the person claiming to be their mother (Susanne Wuest) is in fact an imposter. Her increasingly bizarre and erratic behaviour only increases their concern.
A simple plot then and one that takes in elements of body horror, the perils of moving to the countryside and the difficulties of raising children. Co-directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz (who also share screenwriting duties) cast a wide net when choosing the actors to play the twins, and their persistence pays off, coaxing out a pair of incredible performances from Lukas and Elias Schwarz. Wuest also does well in a challenging, physical role that requires plenty of light and shade. The slow build of tension will be too pondersome for some, and I’m not sure it would stand up to repeated viewings, but for those that enjoy a slow burner, the third act of Goodnight Mommy builds to a horrifying crescendo and an unforgettable conclusion. Not for the faint hearted.