Matriarch – Hulu Review (4/5)

MATRIARCH on Hulu is a new horror movie with an interesting plot and wonderful performances. It also manages a few twists and surprises during the 85-minute runtime. Read our full Matriarch movie review here!

MATRIARCH is a new Hulu horror movie released as part of their Halloween 2022 horror movie releases. This particular horror movie is very different from their release earlier this month, Hellraiser. However, I would definitely recommend checking out this one as well.

MORE NEW HULU HORROR RELEASES FOR HALLOWEEN 2022

Be sure to check out Hellraiser in its 2022 version >

You’ll especially want to watch the amazing performances of Jemima Rooper and Kate Dickie. Such a treat to watch these two! Also, it manages to pack quite a punch during its runtime of just 85 minutes.

Continue reading our Matriarch movie review below – and watch it on Hulu from October 21, 2022.

A horror-take on childhood trauma

This new Hulu horror movie was one I had been looking forward to due to both the plot and cast, so let’s begin with a quick look at the plot.

Having worked herself way too hard – and using way too many drugs and drinking way too much alcohol – Laura is forced to take a step back. An overdose nearly takes her life, so Laura (Jemima Rooper) takes a much-needed break from the advertising world and returns to her roots.

Despite not having seen her mother in decades, she accepts an invitation to come home. Strangely, her estranged mother (Kate Dickie) reaches out just as Laura nearly died from her overdose.

Back home in the secluded English village, Laura hopes she can finally calm the demons raging inside of her. However, she also knows that most of her demons stem from her childhood, so it won’t be easy.

When she discovers the locals in town are protecting an unspeakably dark secret, things get even stranger. And fast!

So many wonderful actors

Jemima Rooper (The Black Dahlia, The Girlfriend Experience, Flowers in the Attic: The Origin) plays Laura, the main protagonist. In Matriarch, Jemima Rooper delivers a performance that is as vulnerable as it is strong. I was rooting for her, even when I wanted her to pull her act together.

I’ve long been an outspoken fan of Kate Dickie. From Prometheus (2012) and The VVitch (2015) to The Cry (2018), and most recently Raven’s Hollow (2022), she is simply perfect for horror (and other genre films). Not least due to her amazing ability to turn a loving smile into a sinister one at the drop of a hat.

In Matriarch, Kate Dickie plays the title role and gets to really use this “bait and switch”-talent of hers. You’re not supposed to know if you can trust her, and Kate Dickie knows how to play this perfectly.

MORE WITH KATE DICKIE

Check out our review of the horror-comedy Get Duked! and the brilliant Prevenge here >

For the record, yes, there is only a 10-year age gap between Jemima Rooper and Kate Dickie. However, this is addressed in the movie and is a key part of the plot. And that’s all I’ll say about that to avoid spoilers!

In two other key roles, we see Sarah Paul (The Demon Headmaster) as the childhood friend, who never left the village they were both raised in. Also, I was very pleased to see Franc Ashman (I May Destroy You, I Came By) as Maxine, the boss of Laura (Jemima Rooper). The kind of boss, we could all hope for!

Watch Matriarch on Hulu!

Matriarch was written and directed by Ben Steiner, who gets his feature film debut with this movie. A very impressive debut indeed. Of course, Ben Steiner has been making short films for more than a decade and was one of the directors of the Monsterland 2 horror anthology.

This writer-director feature film debut is very promising for future films from Ben Steiner. A definite must-watch here in the month of Halloween.

I knew I’d enjoy watching this movie because Jemima Rooper and Kate Dickie played the two leading roles. The trailer has revealed as much, so I was excited. On top of that, there are a few more (pleasing) surprises along the way. Overall, it made for a very interesting and engaging watch!

Matriarch premieres on Hulu on October 21, 2022.

Details

Director: Ben Steiner
Writer: Ben Steiner
Cast: Jemima Rooper, Kate Dickie, Sarah Paul, Franc Ashman, Keith David Bartlett