[Screen It]

 

"MAMA"
(2013) (Jessica Chastain, Megan Charpentier) (PG-13)


Alcohol/Drugs Mild
Blood/Gross Stuff Heavy
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude Extreme
Frightening/Tense Scenes Extreme
Gun/Weapons None
Imitative Behavior Heavy
Jump Scenes Extreme
Music (Scary/Tense) Extreme
Music (Inappropriate) Minor
Profanity Heavy
Sex/Nudity Moderate
Smoking None
Tense Family Scenes Heavy
Topics to Talk About Heavy
Violence Extreme


QUICK TAKE:
Horror: A couple tries to normalize their young, feral nieces who grew up in the woods by themselves, but must contend with the girls' ghostly caretaker.
PLOT:
Annabel (JESSICA CHASTAIN) is a young woman in a rock band who's enjoying her life and learning that she's not pregnant by live-in boyfriend Lucas (NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU). For the past five years, he's been obsessed with finding his young nieces, Victoria (MEGAN CHARPENTIER) and Lilly (ISABELLE NELISSE), who've been missing ever since their father, Jeffrey (NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU), killed his business associates and ex-wife and took their young daughters on a snowy car ride that resulted in a crash in the remote woods. When he was about to mercy-kill Victoria, a floating apparition killed him.

Now, with his funds having run out, Lucas' efforts have finally paid off as the girls have been found in a feral state living in the woods. Their great aunt, Jean (JANE MOFFAT), wants to take custody of them, but child psychologist Dr. Dreyfuss (DANIEL KASH) convinces the court that Lucas and Annabel would be best for the girls, especially with his supervision in a large house provided free of charge. Annabel isn't crazy about the idea, a sentiment worsened when things start going bump in the night and Lucas takes a nasty spill that leaves him hospitalized in a coma.

Now on her own, Annabel tries to cope as well as possible. But odd occurrences in the house along with the girls' weird behavior -- including them talking to and seemingly interacting with Mama (JAVIER BOTET), a figure everyone initially believes to be a figment of their collective imagination -- really starts to creep her out. As she comes to realize that Mama is a real ghost, she does what she can to figure out who she is and how to get rid of her.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
They might be interested if they're fans of creepy horror films and/or rising star Jessica Chastain.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For violence and terror, some disturbing images and thematic elements.


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