Motherly is a 2020 Canadian thriller film about a mother and her daughter under threat in an isolated farmhouse.
Directed by Craig David Wallace (Todd and the Book of Pure Evil TV series; Slasher TV series) from a screenplay co-written with Ian Malone,
The Federgreen Entertainment-Lucky Dime Films movie stars Lora Burke (For the Sake of Vicious; Lifechanger; Poor Agnes), Tessa Kozma, Kristen MacCulloch (Psycho Goreman), Nick Smyth (For the Sake of Vicious; Covenant; Late Night Double Feature) and Colin Paradine (For the Sake of Vicious; Antisocial; Dead Genesis). Produced by Avi Federgreen and Laura Tremblay.
Plot:
Kate (Lora Burke) and her daughter Beth (Tessa Kozma) live alone in an isolated farmhouse in the woods, but when Kate slowly begins to suspect that something sinister is happening, her motherly instincts are put to the test. How far will she go to protect her daughter?”
Reviews:
” …it proudly plays with sub-genre boundaries and, as a result, offers us something not entirely new but devilishly creative. To say any more would only ruin the delicious twists Motherly has in store. So my advice is simple, put Motherly at the top of your November viewing list. You won’t be disappointed, and you may be surprised by what Wallace has to offer.” Cinerama Film Online
“Different styles of horror are at play in Motherly but it would be unfair to spoil them here by describing them. Some scenes are calculated to make viewers cringe and squirm […] The film works on mystery and puzzle pieces rather than jump scares, and Wallace paces the proceedings at a steady clip.” Horror Fuel
“The film promotes homages from older genre films like Friday the 13th: Part III, The Shining, and Texas Chain Saw Massacre to sprinkling in vibes from the 2020 thriller Run […] Though it isn’t a shock a minute, it’s still fantastically executed with great camerawork and well-prepared style. Plus, the score incorporating Friday the 13th style sounds and noises was a memorable choice.” Horror Obsessive
” …this is a riff on that mini-blip (The Tortured, Prisoners, Big Bad Wolves) of possible-child-killer-tied-in-the-basement-with-cutting-implements-in-grieving-parents-hands movies of a few years back (here, it’s a barn) […] Burke (Lifechanger) gets an emotional workout at the centre of the film — by turns paranoid, smothering, hysterical, resourceful, manipulative, violent and in extreme physical pain – and everyone else has to play off her, but young Kozma is exceptionally good too…” The Kim Newman Website
” …Motherly is one part Poor Agnes and one part For the Sake of Vicious. We get the isolationist horror of the former with the home invasion thriller of the latter. With a twist. The film also sees Lora Burke taking parts from both of her previous characters from said films and blending them into yet another commanding and captivating performance. I really can’t praise Burke enough…” Nerdly
“Motherly is a taut, twisty affair […] there are plenty of contradictory flashbacks, torture-driven confessions and belated games of hide and seek for the little birthday girl in jeopardy, all to ensure that the thrills keep coming.” VODzilla
Release:
Motherly had its world premiere at the 2021 Arrow Video FrightFest in London on August 26th.
In the USA, The Horror Collective released Motherly On-Demand and Digital on November 16th 2021. Rent or buy via Amazon
The Horror Collective will release Motherly on DVD on May 3, 2022. The DVD includes an exclusive Q&A with the filmmakers, recorded at the Blood in the Snow Film Festival and hosted by Robert Bellamy, as well as a commentary track with director/writer Craig David Wallace and writer Ian Malone.
Cast and characters:
Lora Burke … Kate
Tessa Kozma … Beth
Kristen MacCulloch … Mary
Nick Smyth … Lewis
Colin Paradine … Hal
Angel Gallego … Courtenay
Laura Tremblay … Woman
Original title:
Daughters
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