I’ll be honest, I almost didn’t see Other Mommy. After reading the reviews and seeing all the negative feedback, I had absolutely ZERO intention of spending my hard-earned money on what critics were calling one of the worst horror movies of the year. But my daughter insisted, and thank GOD she did! Because after watching it, I actually have to agree with the critics on one thing: if you’re expecting a traditional horror movie, you’re probably going to be disappointed. But here’s where we part ways. I think this movie was placed in the WRONG category! Because if you look beyond the horror
and approach Other Mommy as a psychological thriller exploring parenthood, family dynamics, sacrifice, betrayal, and the desperate need children have to feel loved and protected, THIS MOVIE WAS EPIC!!!! I’m talking one of the BEST movies I’ve seen all year! And not because of the monsters, jump scares, or creepy moments. Because of Daddo. Yep, DADDO! And I’m about to explain why.
WAIT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! I’M GIVING AWAY EVERYTHING!!! Seriously, if you haven’t seen Other Mommy and want to experience the story without knowing what happens, STOP READING! Because we’re about to dive into motherhood, fatherhood, divorce, gender roles, reproductive choices, and the emotional wounds children carry when a parent doesn’t choose them. And trust me, I have some THOUGHTS!
First of all, can we PLEASE talk about Daddo?! Because for once, we actually have a male character who isn’t the biological father but gives absolutely EVERYTHING for a child! Here’s a man who begins dating a woman, discovers she’s pregnant with another man’s child, and instead of running in the opposite direction, he’s EXCITED! Not reluctantly accepting the situation, not tolerating the child, not treating her as somebody else’s responsibility. HE CHOOSES HER! He chooses the responsibility, the sleepless nights, the sacrifices, the routines, and the family. He chooses a little girl who doesn’t share his DNA, and he doesn’t stop choosing her when things get difficult. He works around his partner’s career, takes on the daily responsibilities of parenting, provides stability, and becomes the emotional foundation of his daughter’s world. At times, he’s essentially functioning as the SOLE parent! And even when his relationship is falling apart, even when he suspects his partner is cheating, he continues fighting for the family he’s helped build. Now, I’m not suggesting anyone should tolerate betrayal or remain in an unhealthy relationship simply to preserve the appearance of a family. But what moved me was his commitment to the CHILD. Because relationships can end, marriages can fall apart, and people can disappoint us, but children should NEVER have to question whether they’re worth choosing. And Daddo chose her. Every. Single. Time.
And THIS is where the movie stopped being entertainment and became something deeply personal. My daughter was in sixth grade when her parents divorced, and since then, her father has not maintained a meaningful presence in her life. As we sat watching this fictional father give absolutely EVERYTHING for a child who wasn’t biologically his, my daughter started crying. Not a few tears. I’m talking BAWLING HER EYES OUT! Her friend, who also struggles with her relationship with her father, was crying too. And suddenly I understood something. They weren’t crying because they were frightened. They were crying because they were watching the kind of father they wished they had. A father who stays. A father who shows up. A father who puts them first. A father who doesn’t disappear when life gets complicated. A father who chooses THEM! And here’s what absolutely destroyed me: Daddo wasn’t even Bela’s biological father, yet he loved her with a commitment that some biological parents never demonstrate. LET THAT SINK IN! Children don’t care about DNA nearly as much as they care about being loved. They want someone who shows up for school events, remembers their favorite things, makes them feel safe in their own bedrooms, and reassures them that no matter how messy life becomes, they aren’t going anywhere. They want a HOME. Not necessarily a perfect house with two married parents, but a home where they belong, where they’re wanted, where they aren’t an inconvenience, and where someone looks at them and says, through their actions, “I CHOOSE YOU!” THAT is what Daddo represented, and THAT is why two teenage girls were sitting in a movie theater crying their eyes out.
Now, let’s get into another controversial aspect of this movie: MOTHERHOOD! More specifically, what happens when a woman becomes a mother but struggles with the reality of everything motherhood requires? Throughout the film, we encounter conversations about whether Bela’s mother truly wanted motherhood and the sacrifices that came with it. And WOW, there’s a LOT to unpack! Because let’s be real, motherhood changes EVERYTHING! Your body, your career, your friendships, your finances, your freedom, your sleep, and your identity. Pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, recovery, and the physical demands of raising children can take an enormous toll. Stretch marks? Yep! Changes to your body that nobody warned you about? Absolutely! A career that suddenly needs to work around everyone else’s schedules? WELCOME TO MOTHERHOOD! And while many fathers make tremendous sacrifices too, women frequently shoulder a disproportionate share of the physical, emotional, and professional consequences of having children. Some women embrace motherhood immediately, others struggle, and some experience regret, resentment, or grief over the lives they imagined for themselves. Some never wanted to become mothers in the first place. We need to be able to acknowledge those realities without automatically declaring someone a terrible human being. But here’s where I draw a distinction: a parent’s feelings about becoming a parent are NOT the child’s responsibility! A child should never have to carry the emotional burden of believing their existence ruined somebody else’s life. That’s what makes the psychological elements of this movie so fascinating. What happens when a child begins to sense that they’re unwanted? What happens when one parent sacrifices everything while another struggles with resentment? What happens when secrets, guilt, and betrayal become part of the emotional atmosphere of a home? And how do children make sense of circumstances they had absolutely no control over? For me, THAT was the real horror!
And here’s where I think this movie hits another controversial topic: Is Other Mommy actually a pro-life movie? Because I can absolutely see how someone could interpret it that way! A woman becomes pregnant, struggles with the responsibilities of motherhood, and a man who isn’t biologically related to the child chooses to love and raise her anyway. For viewers who value the sanctity of life, the story may reinforce the belief that every child deserves an opportunity to be born, loved, and protected. But I think the film also raises questions about reproductive choice, autonomy, and the realities of becoming a parent when you aren’t emotionally prepared. Would Bela’s mother have made a different decision if she had known how drastically motherhood would change her life? Should a woman become a mother simply because someone else is willing to help raise the child? Can someone love their child and still grieve the life they gave up? And what responsibility does a partner have when choosing to raise a child who isn’t biologically theirs? I don’t think the movie gives us simple answers, and that’s precisely why I LOVED IT! Because the best psychological thrillers don’t just frighten you. THEY MAKE YOU QUESTION YOUR BELIEFS!
And can we PLEASE talk about the male babysitter?! Because this was another detail that I absolutely LOVED! While the adults are downstairs enjoying themselves, we see a young man caring for Bela, participating in activities like getting his nails done and playing with makeup. And you know what? I LOVED IT! We NEED more portrayals of men being comfortable nurturing children. We need boys to see that caring for children isn’t exclusively women’s work. We need girls to see that men can be gentle, patient, attentive, and emotionally available. And we need to stop treating a man who enjoys spending time with children as though he’s doing something extraordinary simply because he’s male. Caring for children should be normal for EVERYONE! A man can be masculine and nurturing, strong and gentle, protective and emotionally expressive. Those qualities are NOT mutually exclusive! And I’m thrilled whenever a movie challenges the idea that caregiving belongs to one gender.
Another message that stuck with me throughout the movie was the repeated idea of being on the SAME TEAM! And I cannot emphasize enough how much I LOVE that concept. SAME. TEAM. Ladies, men are not automatically the enemy, and gentlemen, women are not your competition! We’re supposed to be partners! Now, I understand that not everyone shares my beliefs about relationships, gender, or family structure, and that’s okay. But personally, I believe men and women can bring different strengths into a relationship, and those differences should be celebrated rather than weaponized. I believe God created us for connection, companionship, and mutual support. Not constant competition, not keeping score, and not determining whose contribution matters more. A TEAM! Imagine what relationships could look like if both partners genuinely appreciated what the other brought to the table. Imagine if we stopped viewing compromise as weakness, stopped treating vulnerability as failure, and acknowledged that sometimes one partner needs to carry more of the load while other times the roles reverse. Because life isn’t always 50/50. Sometimes it’s 80/20. Sometimes it’s 10/90. And sometimes one person is barely holding it together while the other says, “I’ve got you.” THAT is partnership!
And speaking of partnership, divorce taught me something I never wanted to learn. When my marriage ended after 19 years, I was devastated. I was served divorce papers, faced financial uncertainty, and suddenly found myself responsible for maintaining a household and raising three children without the partnership I had expected to have for the rest of my life. I genuinely thought I was DONE! How was I supposed to manage everything? The bills, the house, the children, the schedules, the emotional fallout, and the future? But something happened. I discovered a strength I didn’t know I possessed. I became the parent, provider, problem-solver, chauffeur, advocate, emotional support system, and everything in between. And guess what? I CAN do it all! I’ve proven that! But here’s something women aren’t always comfortable admitting: JUST BECAUSE I CAN DO IT ALL DOESN’T MEAN I WANT TO! I don’t want to spend the rest of my life carrying every responsibility alone. I love the idea of partnership. I love the idea of having a man who brings leadership, strength, stability, and guidance into a relationship. But I also want a partner who respects my voice, values my judgment, and understands that decisions affecting our family should be made together. Not because either of us is incapable, but because we’re stronger when we work together. I want someone who can say, “Here’s what I’m thinking. What do you think?” Someone who values my perspective as much as I value his. Someone who understands that leadership doesn’t mean control. It means responsibility, communication, and accountability. SAME TEAM! And that, to me, is beautiful.
As a mother of three, a teacher working with children with multiple disabilities, a graduate student pursuing clinical mental health and school counseling, and even a driver’s education instructor, I’ve encountered children and families from so many different backgrounds. I’ve heard stories of heartbreak, resilience, abandonment, sacrifice, and unconditional love. And if there’s one thing these experiences continue to reinforce, it’s this: CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW THEY MATTER! They need consistency, emotional security, adults who follow through, and people who are willing to show up even when it’s inconvenient. Sometimes that’s a mother, sometimes it’s a father, sometimes it’s a grandparent, stepparent, adoptive parent, foster parent, or another trusted adult. And sometimes it’s a man who meets a pregnant woman, falls in love, and decides that the child she’s carrying is already part of his future. That’s what made Daddo so powerful to me. He wasn’t perfect, their family wasn’t perfect, and their relationship certainly wasn’t perfect. But his commitment to that little girl was extraordinary. And for children who have experienced parental absence, that kind of devotion can represent something they’ve been longing for their entire lives.
So, was Other Mommy really a terrible horror movie? If you walked into the theater expecting an incredible monster movie with nonstop scares, I understand why you might have been disappointed. But if you enjoy psychological thrillers that examine the complexities of family, identity, resentment, sacrifice, and unconditional love, PLEASE GIVE THIS MOVIE A CHANCE! Because beneath the supernatural storyline is something profoundly human. The fear of being unwanted, the desire to belong, the pain of betrayal, the sacrifices of parenting, and the extraordinary power of someone choosing to love a child who isn’t biologically theirs. For me, the scariest part of Other Mommy wasn’t the creature. It was the possibility that a child could grow up believing they weren’t wanted. And the most beautiful part? A father who made it clear that she was.
I’ll never forget looking over at my daughter and her friend as they cried during this movie. Because in that moment, I wasn’t thinking about the reviews, the special effects, or even the horror. I was thinking about how desperately children want to be chosen, how deeply parental absence can hurt, and how powerful it is when someone steps into a child’s life and says, “You’re mine. I love you. I’m not going anywhere.” Not because of biology. Not because of obligation. BECAUSE OF LOVE! And perhaps that’s the greatest takeaway from Other Mommy. Being a parent isn’t just about bringing a child into this world. It’s about showing up for them once they’re here. Day after day, even when it’s hard, even when relationships change, and even when life doesn’t go according to plan. Because every child deserves someone who chooses them. And every little girl deserves to know she’s worth showing up for. Daddo, you were FUCKING AMAZING! And if the critics couldn’t see the beauty in that story, well, I’m glad my daughter convinced me to buy those tickets. Because I almost missed one of the most meaningful movie experiences I’ve had all year.
NOW, I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Because this movie touches on SO MANY controversial subjects, and I genuinely want to hear different perspectives! For my pro-life readers, did you interpret this movie as a celebration of choosing life, even when motherhood wasn’t planned or wanted? For my pro-choice readers, did the movie make you think about reproductive autonomy and whether someone should become a parent when they aren’t emotionally prepared? For those who believe in traditional family roles, should Bela’s mother have prioritized being home with her daughter, or is that an unfair expectation? Working moms, have you ever felt judged for pursuing your career while raising children? Fathers and stepfathers, what did you think about Daddo choosing to raise a child who wasn’t biologically his? And for those of you who grew up with an absent parent, did Daddo’s character bring up emotions you weren’t expecting? Single parents, do you ever feel frustrated when people assume that because you’re capable of doing everything alone, you must prefer it that way? And here’s the BIG question: Should parents stay together for the children, or is a peaceful home with separated parents ultimately healthier? Is love enough to make someone a parent, or does biology matter? And finally, DID YOU SEE OTHER MOMMY?! Did you hate it, love it, or walk away with an entirely different interpretation? Because I genuinely believe this movie deserves a much bigger conversation than whether it was scary enough. Let’s discuss! Different perspectives are welcome, and respectful disagreement is encouraged! ❤️
Now I want to hear from YOU! 🍿🎬
Have you ever watched a movie that critics absolutely DESTROYED, only to discover you LOVED it?!
And here’s a bigger question…does being a parent come down to biology, or is it about who actually SHOWS UP, sacrifices, and loves unconditionally? ❤️
Have you seen Other Mommy? Did you love it, hate it, or think it was completely misunderstood?
👇 Let’s discuss! Just remember…SPOILERS in the comments! 👀
