By George Bate
Josh Malerman’s “Incidents Around the House” was one of the most acclaimed horror novels of 2024, earning widespread praise from readers and critics alike for its unsettling atmosphere, effective use of a child’s perspective, and deeply disturbing take on the haunted house subgenre. Naturally, the prospect of bringing such a well-received story to the big screen carries considerable expectations. Unfortunately, while the film adaptation boasts a capable production, a recognizable leading actress, and an intriguing supernatural premise, it struggles to capture the qualities that made its source material so effective.
Produced by modern master of horror James Wan, Other Mommy stars Jessica Chastain as Ursula, a mother whose family is plagued by a demonic entity with a particularly sinister objective. The story follows her young daughter, Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark), as she begins experiencing terrifying encounters with a presence that disguises itself as her mother and attempts to convince her to let it into her heart. The demon’s ultimate goal is to take over Bela’s body and become a living being, something it cannot accomplish without the young girl’s cooperation.
Keep reading for a detailed explanation of what happens in Other Mommy and how to make sense of its ending and reveals.
What Is Other Mommy, and Why Does She Want Bela?
While the family’s personal problems provide much of the film’s emotional background, the central threat comes in the form of the demonic entity that Bela names Other Mommy. The film establishes early on (through ill-advised on-screen text) that demons covet something humans possess that they do not: the ability to be alive.
Other Mommy is a supernatural entity that has apparently existed for a considerable length of time without ever experiencing human life. It wants to enter the living world in a more complete sense, inhabiting a human body and experiencing existence as a living being. Bela becomes its target because the demon believes it can achieve this goal by persuading her to let it into her heart.
The consequences of Bela agreeing to this request would be devastating. Allowing Other Mommy inside would effectively mean surrendering her body to the entity, resulting in the young girl’s death and allowing the demon to take her place.
However, the demon does not simply attempt to overpower Bela. Instead, it adopts a far more manipulative approach, presenting itself as a friend and trying to convince the child that it has her best interests at heart. Other Mommy visits Bela repeatedly, gradually attempting to earn her trust and persuade her that allowing the entity into her heart is the best way to protect herself.
This approach is particularly sinister as the demon exploits Bela’s uncertainty about her family. The young girl senses that her parents are hiding important information from her, and the tension within the household leaves her feeling increasingly isolated. Other Mommy uses these emotions to position itself as a source of comfort, suggesting that it can protect Bela from the unhappiness and confusion she experiences at home.
In this sense, the demon’s behavior resembles grooming. Rather than relying exclusively on physical intimidation, it attempts to manipulate a vulnerable child into voluntarily giving up control of her body. The entity’s ability to disguise itself as Bela’s mother makes the situation even more disturbing, as it exploits the trust and affection that a child would ordinarily associate with a parent.
The Family Conflict and Mystery in Other Mommy, Explained
Although Jeff and Ursula both demonstrate considerable affection for their daughter, their own relationship is far more complicated. The film establishes tension between the two almost immediately, suggesting that their family life is not quite as wholesome as it might initially appear. As the story progresses, Bela begins to recognize that her parents are keeping secrets from her, even if she does not fully understand what those secrets involve.
Bela questions where her mother goes during the day and wonders why she is sometimes left alone with her father. At one point, Bela even remarks that her mother smells like somebody else. Jeff’s reaction to this comment interestingly suggests that he is already aware of the situation.
The explanation involves Uncle Frank, a character played by Arian Moayed. Although Frank is initially described as a longtime friend of Jeff’s, it becomes clear that his relationship with Ursula has developed into something more romantic. Ursula has been in love with Frank, creating a complicated situation for the family and adding another layer to the tension between Bela’s parents.
Eventually, Bela tells Jeff that she knows her mother was in love with Frank. Rather than denying the situation, Jeff explains that adults sometimes fall in love with people they are not supposed to. The conversation provides an important glimpse into the family’s dynamic, revealing that Jeff is attempting to preserve Bela’s image of her mother despite the difficulties in their relationship.
Bela’s parentage becomes another important part of the story, further complicating the already strained relationship between her parents. For much of the film, Jeff and Ursula appear to be withholding an important piece of information from their daughter. Initially, viewers might assume that the secret concerns Ursula’s relationship with Uncle Frank. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is something more significant that Bela has yet to learn.
As Other Mommy becomes increasingly dangerous and the threat to Bela’s life grows more immediate, her parents eventually decide to reveal the truth. Ursula explains that she was married to another man when she met Jeff. The two began a secret relationship shortly afterward, and Ursula eventually discovered that she was pregnant. This means that Jeff was not Bela’s biological father. Instead, Bela’s biological father is Ursula’s former husband, whose identity and background remain largely unexplored in the film.
The revelation adds another complication to Bela’s understanding of her family. Not only has she been living with the tension between her parents, but the circumstances surrounding her birth have also been kept from her.
How Does Bela Defeat Other Mommy?
Bela’s eventual victory over Other Mommy is closely connected to her willingness to confront the difficult truths surrounding her family. Throughout the film, the demon takes advantage of her sadness and confusion, encouraging her to believe that surrendering to it will provide an escape from the problems she faces at home.
Bela already suspects that her parents have been keeping secrets from her. Although she knows about her mother’s relationship with Uncle Frank, she senses that there are other truths she has yet to discover. The revelations about her family’s past force her to confront the reality that the people she loves are imperfect and that the life she understands is more complicated than she initially believed.
Rather than defeating the demon through a religious ritual, a complicated prayer, or an appeal to divine intervention, Bela must confront her own emotions. She has to acknowledge the anger and sadness caused by her fractured family while recognizing that these circumstances do not mean she is unloved or that her life cannot improve.
This emotional confrontation becomes the key to overcoming Other Mommy. The demon has relied on Bela’s vulnerability to persuade her that it can offer protection and comfort, but its influence weakens when she begins to face her problems rather than seeking an escape from them.
Ultimately, Bela’s ability to accept the truth about her family allows her to push the entity out and defeat it. The conclusion places the emphasis on emotional resilience rather than the conventional methods often used to defeat demonic antagonists in horror films. By confronting her feelings and finding a way to move forward despite her family’s complications, Bela finally breaks free of the entity’s manipulation.
Other Mommy is now in theaters.