Jessica Chastain’s ‘Other Mommy’ Stumbles With a Rotten Debut on Rotten Tomatoes

Few horror releases this fall arrived with a hook as sharp as ‘Other Mommy’. The trailer, featuring Jessica Chastain twisting into unsettling shapes, built months of anticipation among genre fans eager for her next scary outing.

Directed by Rob Savage, known for ‘Host’ and ‘The Boogeyman’, the film adapts Josh Malerman’s novel ‘Incidents Around the House’ from a screenplay by Nathan Elston. Chastain plays a dual role as Ursula and the sinister entity wearing her face, opposite Arabella Olivia Clark as her 8-year-old daughter Bela, with Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Arian Moayed and Karen Allen rounding out the cast.

Now that the film has hit theaters, critics have weighed in, and the verdict is harsh. As of October 9, ‘Other Mommy’ sits at just 20% on Rotten Tomatoes from 20 reviews, a clearly rotten start for the James Wan-produced horror.

Reviewers have been fairly consistent in their complaints. Many pointed to sloppy direction, a forgettable score, and an overreliance on repetitive jump scares. Savage had said the film would deliver around 50 jump scares, but several critics felt they undercut any sense of creeping dread. Others noted that the story struggled with clunky structure and misplaced humor.

The Hollywood Reporter’s Richard Lawson gave the film a rotten score, describing it as attractive but largely hollow and lacking the build-up needed for its scares to land. Peter Gray of The AU Review was similarly unimpressed, suggesting the film makes a strong entrance but loses its way afterward.

Rob Savage’s ‘OTHER MOMMY’ debuts at 20% on Rotten Tomatoes. Now playing in theaters. https://t.co/pPlf0kKhaC

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) October 9, 2026

Megan Navarro argued the film is so flat that audiences may end up laughing at the family’s choices rather than rooting for them. Culture Mix’s Carla Hay went even further, calling it an incoherent mess filled with weak jump scares.

The Jam Report’s Doug Jamieson gave it just 1.5 out of 5 stars. The Sydney Morning Herald’s Jake Wilson awarded 2 out of 5, noting the film felt stretched and pulled in different creative directions.

Notably, Universal chose not to screen ‘Other Mommy’ for critics ahead of release. As a result, reviews only began appearing after Thursday preview screenings in New York and Los Angeles.

That decision raised eyebrows among reviewers. One critic admitted to being puzzled by the studio’s choice, having only seen the film by luck as a guest at an advance screening. Despite the negative reviews, Chastain herself has largely been spared. Several critics argued she deserved stronger material, with even critical reviews acknowledging her commitment to the dual role.

Audience members on Rotten Tomatoes have also praised her performance as both characters. The Popcornmeter has yet to post a score, though more than 100 verified ratings have been submitted.

The official trailer for ‘OTHER MOMMY,’ starring Jessica Chastain, has been released. In theaters on October 9. https://t.co/8E2MGiT8W2

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) July 21, 2026

The rotten debut stands out against Chastain’s previous genre work. Her earlier horror films ‘Mama’, ‘IT Chapter Two’ and ‘Crimson Peak’ all earned fresh scores, with Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Crimson Peak’ her best-reviewed at 72%.

Horror has a long history of overcoming poor reviews, and ‘Other Mommy’ could still find an audience. With Chastain’s star power and a striking marketing campaign, general viewers may respond more warmly than critics. The R-rated film runs 1 hour and 33 minutes and is now playing in theaters. Its opening weekend will reveal whether fans are willing to look past the critical drubbing.

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