MOTHER'S DAY

     REBECCA DE MORNAY  JAIME KING  FRANK GRILLO  PATRICK FLUEGER

BETH AND DANIEL (KING AND GRILLO) HAVE JUST BOUGHT A FORE CLOSED HOUSE THAT ONCE BELONGED TO THE KOFFINS: MOM NATALIE (DE MORNAY) AND HER FOUR CHILDREN, THE OLDEST BEING IKE (FLUEGER.)  THE BOYS DON'T KNOW THAT THEIR MOM HAS LOST THE HOUSE, AND WHEN ONE OF THEM GETS SHOT DURING A BANK ROBBERY, THEY HEAD HOME, ONLY TO DISCOVER THE NEW OWNERS AND THEIR FRIENDS HAVING A PARTY.  NEEDING MONEY, WHEN NATALIE SHOWS UP, THE KOFFINS DECIDE TO STEAL FROM THE PARTY GUESTS AND THROW IN A LITTLE TORTURE ALONG THE WAY. 
THIS IS A VERY BRUTAL, VIOLENT AND OFTENTIMES  STRANGELY DISTURBING MOVIE.  THE THREE KOFFIN BOYS WANT ACTION AND ARE READY TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THAT; THEIR SISTER, THE YOUNGEST OF THE CHILDREN, IS QUIET YET CAN BE JUST AS BRUTAL AS HER BROTHERS WHEN NEEDED; ALL THE CHILDREN WORSHIP THEIR MOTHER, WHO IS THE TRUE PSYCHOPATH, SHE WILL SHOW YOU KINDNESS AND SYMPATHY BUT THEN TURN RIGHT AROUND AND SLIT YOUR THROAT.
I FOUND ALL THE ACTING TO BE GOOD.  EACH OF THE CHARACTERS GETS THEIR SCREEN TIME, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS SEEM TO BE TRUE AND HONEST.  HOWEVER, THE STANDOUT HERE IS DE MORNAY: WHILE THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT NATALIE TO LIKE, DE MORNAY HAS BEEN ABLE TO CREATE A CHARACTER WE BOTH LIKE AND HATE, A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
AS WITH THE ACTING, THE DIRECTION IS ALSO DONE WELL.  THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND MANY THINGS GOING ON, AND THE DIRECTOR KEEPS IT ALL CLEAR, TO THE POINT AND GOING AT A GOOD PACE.  IT IS ALMOST AS IF THE MOVIE IS PLAYING OUT IN REAL TIME, WHICH ONLY ADDS TO THE TENSION.
RATING  3 out of 5