How evil canOctavia Spencer(Truth Be Told) be? Over the years, we’ve seen the Oscar winner’s talent for comedy and drama, but one genre that she hasn’t visited much is horror. It did happen, though: in 2019 she starred inMa, a psychological horror movie that revealed a different side of Spencer. Almost six years after its release, the movie is finding a new audience onNetflixand has steadily climbed the streamer’s global charts. This week, the movie accumulated 7 million views and made thetop 3 list of most-watched titleson the platform.
Matells the story of Sue Ann (Spencer), a middle-aged woman who lives a pretty lonely life. She realizes she can become less lonely by befriending a group of teenagers who need a place to party. “Ma” allows them to use the place, but her obsession with them slowly starts to build into something more sinister and scary. The cast also featuresJuliette Lewis(Yellowjackets),Diana Silvers(The Killer),Corey Fogelmanis(My Life With the Walter Boys),Gianni Paolo(Power Book II: Ghost),McKaley Miller(9-1-1: Lone Star),Luke Evans(Nine Perfect Strangers), andAllison Janney(The Diplomat).
Despite its different premise,Madidn’t conquer a spot in critics' hearts. The movie scoreda 55% approval rateonRotten Tomatoes, withRogerEbert.com’sNick Allencalling the movie’s thrills “extra cheap and late.“Andrew LapinfromNPRcriticized the movie’s pacing, whileYolanda MachadofromThe Wrapwrote thatMa"gets so lost” that if fumbles its own thrills. Not everything is disposable inMa, though, according to critics: Most agreed that Spencer delivers a great performance that helps save the movie.
Mawasn’t exactly a huge hit, with $61 million raked inat the box office. However, it cost $5 million to produce, which means that it was far from a failure. Additionally, it slowly turned into a cult movie over the years, and that might be the reason why it’s being re-discovered on Netflix. Whether it becomes a hit again or if it was just a quick, isolated event, only time will tell. In any case,Mais a heck of a good choice for Octavia Spencer fans who want to check out her range as an actor, and so far the only horror movie that features her in the lead.
Mawas directed byTate Taylor, who also worked with Spencer inThe Help. He also helmed thrillers likeAvawithJessica ChastainandThe Girl on the TrainwithEmily Blunt. The screenplay was written byScotty Landes, who has a background in comedy and wrote several episodes fromWorkaholics.
WhileMaisn’t currently available to stream on Netflix in the U.S., it is available to rent or buy on VOD.
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