mother! (2017)

Kernel Score: 78% · 7,013 ratings · Rated R

Genres: Horror, Drama

Released: 2017-09-13

Runtime: 121 minutes

Is mother! worth watching?

Depends on your taste. Darren Aronofsky's brutal allegory about an unwelcome house guest and a patient wife. It's bold and deliberately punishing, and some people find it brilliant while others find it unbearable. Know that going in.

Watch it if you

  • like challenging, symbolic horror
  • enjoy Aronofsky's intensity
  • want something people will argue about

Skip it if you

  • want a conventional horror plot
  • dislike chaos, violence or heavy allegory

Best for: Brave solo watch

Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.

Where to watch mother!

  • Stream: Fubo, Philo, MGM+
  • Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
  • Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube

US availability, updated 2026-10-23.

Overview

A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.

mother! parents' guide: ages 15+

Parents need to know that mother! is a surreal R-rated horror-drama with intense psychological disturbance, violence, and chaotic destruction.

  • Violence & scariness: Strong — Includes a home invasion, mob violence, and disturbing surreal imagery culminating in chaotic destruction.
  • Language: Moderate — Strong profanity appears in reactions and dialogue per reviewer reference to explicit language.
  • Drinking, drugs & smoking: A little — Some incidental drinking is implied among houseguests.

Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.

Movies like mother!

If you liked mother!, these are the movies we'd watch next.

  • Rosemary's Baby (1968) — 88%: Paranoid horror about a woman and a home that is not safe.
  • Black Swan (2010) — 86%: Aronofsky's intense psychological descent into obsession.
  • Requiem for a Dream (2000) — 89%: Aronofsky's relentless, punishing descent.
  • Eraserhead (1977) — 82%: Surreal, disturbing horror that refuses to explain itself.
  • The Shining (1980) — 95%: Domestic horror that unravels a household.
  • The Whale (2022) — 88%: Aronofsky drama with an intense, claustrophobic single setting.

Director

Darren Aronofsky

Cast

mother! FAQ

Is mother! worth watching?

Depends on your taste. Darren Aronofsky's brutal allegory about an unwelcome house guest and a patient wife. It's bold and deliberately punishing, and some people find it brilliant while others find it unbearable. Know that going in.

Where can I watch mother!?

In the US you can stream mother! on Fubo, Philo and MGM+ and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.

Is mother! OK for kids?

mother! is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that mother! is a surreal R-rated horror-drama with intense psychological disturbance, violence, and chaotic destruction.

What movies are like mother!?

If you liked mother!, try Rosemary's Baby, Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream and Eraserhead.