If you’ve seen the trailers for David Lowery’s Mother Mary and you’ve assumed you already know the plot, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. This latest A24 film is not at all what you’d expect. If you’re looking for a standard pop-star romp or a jump-scare-heavy horror flick, you’ll probably walk out confused. But you may still want to give it a chance, and here’s why.

Mother Mary (2026)

Produced by A24 and directed by David Lowery, the film’s full synopsis goes: “Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) on the eve of her comeback performance.”

Our thoughts on A24’s Mother Mary

Mother Mary is a story of existential crisis wrapped in a visual and auditory feast. The production design is ingenious, utilizing a concert stage aesthetic where one location seamlessly bleeds into another.

The music ties all the visuals together, taking the concert-like experience to another level. While Lowery initially penned some songs, he worked closely with Charli XCX, Jack Antonoff, and even FKA Twigs, to create the auditory feast to bless the audience’s ears. It’s a soundtrack that is integral to the story’s DNA.

The film, however, is unexpectedly dialogue-heavy, making me wish there were subtitles in the theater. Viewers really have to pay close attention, because it could be hard to follow what the actors are saying.

Still, there’s the performance of the actors, especially the two powerhouse leads: Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.

We know you expected Anne Hathaway to be a pop star, and yes, we do get that for maybe 15 to 20 minutes max throughout the film. Because the rest of the time, she delivers a performance of raw, grounded emotion that navigates a crazily confusing, dialogue-heavy script with total conviction. She might be gunning for another Oscar here, and we totally support that.

Meanwhile, Michaela Coel is just as much of a force in every scene. Her dynamic with Hathaway is enthralling, and each time she delivers her line, the whole scene becomes fraught with tension.

FKA Twigs was equally captivating. Though her screen time is limited, she absolutely stole that one big scene she was in. Her performance was quite chilling, adding to the film’s horror atmosphere.

But all that begs the question: Can you categorize the movie as a horror film? One of the posters says it’s not a ghost story, yet it’s classified as horror due to its dark subject matter and occasional gory moments. (If you’re squeamish like I am, there is one scene towards the end you may want to look away from).

Is it a love story? Another poster says it’s not. But it can be up to your interpretation, probably.

Is it a metaphor? Almost certainly. There are probably many religious references beyond the film’s title, and it might spark anger in some communities and ignite many debates on what it means. But again, it’s probably up to the viewer’s own interpretation.

Is it a headscratcher? Oh, most definitely. It’s going to make you feel like you’re having an existential crisis right alongside the titular character.

Our verdict: See it or skip it?

Mother Mary is less of a horror thriller and more of an artistic thinkpiece that prioritizes emotion and feeling over a relatable premise and storyline. It’s a visual and auditory feast of couture, concert, and cinematography that definitely won’t please everyone, but it has future cult classic written all over it.

I say see Mother Mary on the big screen, if only to appreciate all its artistic aspects — even if the film may remain a beautiful, confusing mystery long after you exit the theater.

Mother Mary is exclusively available in SM Cinemas nationwide starting April 22.

It is the second A24 title CreaZion Studios is bringing to Filipino audiences this year.

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Header photo from A24