The Eyes of My Mother

Name: The Eyes of My Mother
Genre: Drama, Horror
Released: December 2, 2016
Duration: 76 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Kika Magalhaes, Olivia Bond, Paul Nazak, Will Brill

2016

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 28 Ratings

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6.0

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6.0	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 28 Ratings

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The Eyes Of My Mother

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Movie Details & Credits

Magnet Releasing | Release Date: December 2, 2016 | R

Starring: Kika Magalhaes, Olivia Bond, Paul Nazak, Will Brill

Summary: In their secluded farmhouse, a mother, formerly a surgeon in Portugal, teaches her daughter, Francisca, to understand anatomy and be unfazed by death. One afternoon, a mysterious visitor horrifyingly shatters the idyll of Francisca’s family life, deeply traumatizing the young girl, but also awakening some unique curiosities. Though sheIn their secluded farmhouse, a mother, formerly a surgeon in Portugal, teaches her daughter, Francisca, to understand anatomy and be unfazed by death. One afternoon, a mysterious visitor horrifyingly shatters the idyll of Francisca’s family life, deeply traumatizing the young girl, but also awakening some unique curiosities. Though she clings to her increasingly reticent father, Francisca’s loneliness and scarred nature converge years later when her longing to connect with the world around her takes on a distinctly dark form. [Magnet Releasing]… Expand

Director: Nicolas Pesce

Genre(s): Drama, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 76 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Joshua Rothkopf

Nov 23, 2016

If you can stomach the fear, go. Confident hands created this film. Its nightmare lingers for weeks. Read full review

Guy Lodge

Sep 23, 2016

Pesce’s spare script doesn’t seek to obscure, but its quiet, matter-of-fact handling of drastic dramatic events will catch some off-guard. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Dec 1, 2016

Unfolding with a minimum of dialogue, Francisca’s maturation from watcher to doer would be laughable if performed with less nuance or photographed with less originality. Read full review

G. Allen Johnson

Dec 1, 2016

It is an original and might give new parents a valuable reminder: Environment matters in child rearing. Read full review

Tasha Robinson

Dec 12, 2016

Nicolas Pesce’s gory writing and directing debut Eyes of My Mother goes all-in on the idea of a remote location where horrible things can happen, and no one will ever know. But Pesce does a lot more with the idea of isolation — emotional, physical, and even moral. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Simon Abrams

Dec 2, 2016

Arthouse horror flick The Eyes of My Mother actively alienates viewers by presenting episodes in a woman's life from a post-human, God-like perspective. Sometimes. Usually. Probably? Read full review

Chuck Bowen

Nov 27, 2016

Though the film strives to be audacious and galvanizing, it's easily shaken off as an exercise in stunted necrophilia erotica. Read full review

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User Reviews

Bleat0124

Dec 10, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It truly bothers me that some critics gives this movie less than a 50, at least. Compare to the cookie cutter list of "horror" films that drop yearly, this is a masterpiece. There are some issues here, first, for a movie that could have been said so much about three nature of such persons, it ends up saying very little more than what has already been said. Why do such persons do such things..."it feels good" or "I'm lonely." Yeah, but there are many things that feels good and many ways to deal with loneliness. We are never given a reason why she, or the original murderer did what they did. In addition, I still do not understand the title. Yes her mom was a little strange and I guest she could have gotten her curiosity of bodies from her but there was no sense that her mother would have accepted the morality of what she was doing, in fact, there was evidence suggesting that he choices would not have been pleasing to her mother.

Which is fine, not everybody listen to the moral teaching of a parent but there was no indication of where her moral principles would have came from.

I think what this film was trying to say is that lack of interaction leads a mind to wondered endlessly, and the quality of one's interactions, especially if they are few, has a huge influence on one's decisions and thinking.

After the passing of her mother, her only meaningful conversation was with a murderer. Both points I could understand, that is why one critic suggested this film should be a reminder to parents to be careful of who or what type of interaction their children are exposed to. Still, it seems at the age she was, there would have been a moral training from her mother or should have been.

The most pressing question of thrones film is why is the original killer kept alive, and who chained him up, and why.

This is why many critics claim the film is illogical. The simple answer that would prefect sense is the father did--which is why the second part is called father, beside the fact that she lost him in that second part, as she did her mother in mother and the family in family. Still the binding of the first murderer was so central to the story that not showing who did it made absolutely no sense. If it was indeed the father than we get an answer to the Queen of the main character moral compass. Still, the acting, the direction,the unbelievable closeness with human suffering and the human mind. This is one of the best films I've watched in a long time...since "Carol" I have not been this impressed with a film. The boldness itself is breathtaking. There is so much more to say but just go watch it now if you are a fan of movies. I do not understand how someone can give this a zero. So you're telling me there is nothing to like here?… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheQuietGamer

Oct 8, 2017

A movie that does more to haunt your heart than your dreams. It's well-known that one thing no human can do without is companionship. At least not without serious damage to the psyche. That is really the core theme of the movie. We are witnessing the effects solitude can have on a person.A movie that does more to haunt your heart than your dreams. It's well-known that one thing no human can do without is companionship. At least not without serious damage to the psyche. That is really the core theme of the movie. We are witnessing the effects solitude can have on a person. Following a dark, gruesome tragedy a young girl finds herself without anyone to teach her how to live and make something of herself in the world. Born into isolation with no one to guide her, she is left to follow a tragic path into madness. It's an incredibly sad movie. You feel for the protagonist no matter how deranged seclusion has made her. It's a parable about the effects of parental neglect. As we watch Francisca's life progress we are treated to plenty of disturbing moments that are born out of the character's loneliness. It's dark, violent, and even a little gross, but the horror element doesn't come from the visual, aural, or even psychological aspects of the film. No, this is the kind of movie that bypasses all of the and goes straight for your heart and soul. It effects your humanity. I guess you could say it freaks your emotions more than your physical being. It's got a surprising ability to tug at your heartstrings. So while this may not keep you up at night, it will still stick with you after the credits have rolled. That's worth something no matter how unconventional.

A strange, dark, and melancholy little slice of horror. It stands as one of those more artistic experiments in the genre. One with mostly positive results. As always with these types of films, it's not going to be for everyone. Yet, for those who like to explore all venues of the genre outside of the ones filled with big chills and jump scares, there's something here that will get under your skin and nestle it's cold body against your heart.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

ninosan

Feb 21, 2017

Unnerving, Unrelenting.
This movie doesn't have jump-scares, it relies on atmosphere and gives you an intense sense of dread through the whole thing. Feels very organic, besides a few flaws on character development, the main lead's past and present will keep you thinking in bed at night.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LeZee

Apr 26, 2017

Incomplete lessons and unexpected events of a girl's life!

The film story has a deeper thought than just what you see it as a psychological drama. Everything is simply like what the title says. A young woman grew up in an isolated farmhouse with her father without many visitors. But herIncomplete lessons and unexpected events of a girl's life!

The film story has a deeper thought than just what you see it as a psychological drama. Everything is simply like what the title says. A young woman grew up in an isolated farmhouse with her father without many visitors. But her interest in the eyes came from her mother who was a surgeon killed by an intruder. So her character was built on those circumstances and where her future head is to come in the later parts.

The concept looked much better, but the film was too slow, even though it was a little shorter than the average film runtime. It is also a black and white film, and looked fine for such theme. Even though there were not strong gore. Limited cast and shot most of the parts is a single location and its surroundings. So it is a small budget film with good casting. But I'm having a mixed feeling for it. I think some would like it, and some wouldn't, but the majority would be like me stand in the middle. So I conclude saying it is an okay-okay film.

6/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarcosReis

Oct 21, 2020

A nonsensical story at an extremely low pace, all in that "it's not for everyone" fashion of black and white.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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