[7]

As their mother recuperates from plastic surgery, twin boys suspect she is not the same woman they knew — and begin to plot against her. Goodnight Mommy is a beautifully made Austrian film that pits two children and their mother against one another in a horrifying downward spiral. Writer/directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz are good at building storytelling momentum in a claustrophobic environment. They also succeed in creating a number of visually striking moments and a novel, spooky atmosphere that contrasts an austere, modernistic home against a picturesque countryside. The film’s biggest disappointment is a ‘big twist’ you’ll see coming right from the start. But even if you guess the riddle, Goodnight Mommy is still a satisfying ride that mines big horror out of unexpected places.