Movie Reaction: Ma

Formula: Single White Female / Carrie + 25 Years

Horror is a more diverse genre than people give it credit for. There are a lot of kinds of horror movies and there are a lot of ways to be a fan of horror movies. Personally, I never get tired of found footage movies, but I have no taste for superviolence (sometimes called "torture porn"). Some people really respond to the way that horror can be used as commentary. Others get enamored by the style on display. There's even the question of when you like to be scared. A lot of people love being scared in the moment (jump scares) while others would rather carry a sense of dread with them out of the theater (I'm one of those sick people). There isn't a "correct" kind of horror movie to like, but depending on your taste, there are conventions of the genre that you have more or less patience for.

Despite the fact that horror is one of my favorite movie genres, I dislike a large percentage of the horror movies I see. I'm either picky, or my particular tastes are under-served. It's hard to say which. In general, I like horror with a foot in the real world. I like the appearance of verisimilitude (which explains why I'm so hooked on "found footage"). I like when the movies don't rely on people acting stupid or inconsistent to keep the story moving forward. I don't like when repeated coincidences are used as a shortcut in the screenplay. This deprives me of certain kinds of enjoyment in horror movies. A compelling villain doesn't do as much for me. A beautifully-staged sequence will go unnoticed if I don't buy the events that led up to it. There's always room, of course, for something to surprise me. I really can't explain why, say, I love the hell out of the original Suspiria. This is just my best analysis of the movies I've liked and disliked so far.

This is a lot of preamble for me to say that I didn't care much for Ma, even though it's an above average horror movie.

Ma is the story of some teens who befriend a woman they call Ma. She buys booze for them and lets them party in her basement. Over time, they come to realize that Ma has some issues. Is she crazy? Is she sick? Is she violent? Only time will tell.

Ma is played by Octavia Spencer, who is terrific in the role. It's movies like this more so than the "awards bait" that remind me why certain performers are so highly esteemed. For example, it's harder for Meryl Streep to get a memorable performance out of The Devil Wears Prada than Sophie's Choice. Similarly, it's easy to see how Octavia Spencer can made lemonade from a role in something like Hidden Figures. That she makes a character like Ma feel real is even more impressive. She's totally dialed-in, and the result is a chilling and complex character. This is Octavia Spencer's movie and all anyone else can hope to do is keep up with her. That said, I liked the cast top to bottom. Juliette Lewis is the overwhelmed but cool mom of the lead teen, Maggie (Diana Silvers, who you can also see in Booksmart). Luke Evans is someone's asshole father: a role he's built for. Even Allison Janney shows up in a small role that came right from the set of I, Tonya. I don't know if any of the teens are set for future stardom, but they are all good horror movie teens.

I think my biggest problem with the movie is that I don't believe enough in the stupidity of teenagers. The movie is filled with repeated red flags. The first time the kids meet Ma, she points a gun at one of them and makes him strip naked.  She quickly overwhelms them with texts and calls and even shows up at their school. She steals from them. And there's something obviously suspicious going on upstairs. Repeatedly, the movie gives the teens reasons to stop going to her house. Really, really good reasons. Characters even pledge never to come back there at different points. Inevitably, they all end up coming back, and the reasons the movie gives I didn't buy at all. And regardless, "teens are stupid" isn't writing the interests me.

There's a lot to like about Ma though. Octavia Spencer alone is worth the ticket. The movie explores Ma's origins more than I expected, which added new layers that I liked. There are several thrilling scenes. It mixes a few different styles or horror quite nimbly. Similar to Brightburn last week*, once the movie gets people in a room together, I love what it does. I just didn't buy how it got them in the room together, which ended up being a non-starter.

*I've taken a small break from posting these, but not writing these, so just go with it.

Verdict: Weakly Don't Recommend