A mother should look out for her sons
Synopsis:
In the heat of the summer lays a lonesome house in the countryside where nine year old twin brothers (Elias and Lukas Schwarz) await their mother’s (Susanne Wuest) return. When she comes home, bandaged after cosmetic surgery, nothing is like before and the children start to doubt whether this woman is actually who she says she is. What ensues is a terrifying observational struggle with fatal consequences on par with "The Shining" and "Dead Ringers."
Twins. Why are they periodically used in horror films with great success in causing uneasiness in its audience? Is it simply two people that look the same? Is it two people that look the same, wearing the same outfit? We're used to seeing a duplicate of ourselves on a daily basis, in the mirror. But there is something almost unnatural about seeing twins in a horror film. It's difficult to not think back to "The Shining" and those creepy girls in the hallway beckoning to Danny. Those girls scared me when I was a kid and to this day, I still find them to be creepy.
"Goodnight Mommy" or "Ich Seh, Ich Seh" as it's known in its country of origin, Austria, was written and directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz. When the boys mother returns home after her surgery, you can see how her children could find her appearance a bit frightening. She reminded me of the mummy-like Julia in "Hellbound: Hellraiser II." It isn't long after their mother returns home that she starts exhibiting odd behavior. She stays hidden away in her bedroom for countless hours, demands silence and is apparently upset with one of her sons. This behavior only fuels the boys suspicion that this woman in their house is not their mother. The boys search for more clues and unfortunately for their mother, are successful in their endeavor. 
The boys mother struggles to maintain control over her sons while they struggle with the identity of this woman who claims to be their mother. Is she their mother or could she be the woman seen in a photo along with their mother? First time directors, Fiala and Franz, do a wonderful job of creating tension in the film. You can feel the anger growing in the mother as she loses control, as well as the nervousness and confusion that the boys are feeling, both increasing during the film until things come to a head. You are not quite sure which direction the film is going to go, until the moment comes when the film takes a dark turn and we start to really question our perception of what we have been watching transpire over the course of this film.
"Goodnight Mommy" could easily become one of those movies that fall into the love it or hate it category for most viewers. I found it to be a very intriguing and thought provoking film. I loved that the film kept me guessing until close to the end. Yes, there may be things you figure out along the way but the film is entertaining and has a good payoff. I most definitely recommend watching this film if you find that the trailer interests you. You may want to rent or watch via VOD before purchasing. But do give it a chance.
Running Time: 1:39:08 (In German with English subtitles)
RATING: 4 / 5
The film opens in select cities on Friday, September 11, 2015. You can check Fandango to see if "Goodnight Mommy" is playing at a theater in your area. For more information visit Radius-TWC.