[FrightFest 2026]: Mother & Me
Having spent several years working as a cinematographer on indie films and directing a handful of short films, director Carson McKinnon makes his feature directorial debut with the bold Mother & Me that is sure to prove as divisive as it is fascinating.
Casey (Caylee Cowan) is a creative soul being forced by her abusive mother (Tara Janae Smith) to follow in her deceased father’s footsteps and write a horror novel in his style. Casey lives a sheltered life until a chance encounter with Steven (Brady Noon) sparks the potential for freedom from her domestic strife but also barrels Casey towards an encounter that could well change everything.
Mother & Me is a bold choice for McKinnon to take but there is real care taken with the subject matter. As the ‘Me’ of the title, Caylee Cowan strikes a delicate balance between innocence and independence for Casey, anchoring the film with her rich and nuanced turn. Noon’s Steven proves a likeable presence and his and Cowan’s scenes have an easy charm to them. Smith has a trickier task as the titular matriarch, and the weakest part of the film is the struggle the script has to give her the richness afforded to her on-screen daughter.
Tonally, Mother & Me feels jarring and perhaps purposefully so. Casey’s burgeoning relationship with Steven is painted with an endearing YA hue, whilst the one she has with her mother is played far more monstrously (even a tad cartoonishly). The flights of fantasy play at a different register, and the ending pushes the film even more into the surreal. It just about worked for this viewer but for some the shifts will prove too much.
McKinnon’s debut is one that feels grounded in a reality endured by women across the globe. The failings of parenting here hit hard, even if some creative choices almost undermine them. But there is skill and craft shown by McKinnon (especially in his role as cinematographer – the film often has a gorgeous visual palette). Although Mother & Me doesn’t quite stick the landing, it is at its best when it is a powerful look at a difficult subject matter with an outstanding turn from Cowan holding it all together.
3.5 Screams out of 5
Comments