Ma

           It starts out kinda innocent and cliche enough. A girl has moved into a new town, but this small town just so happens to be where her mom went to high school. Predictably, she runs into old friends, but because of the nature of her return, she isn't flaunting anything about her life. Maggie, the daughter, is nervous to go to school, but, in a miracle event, is basically invited into a friend group without even having to look for herself. Also, as a bonus, they're among some of the popular kids. During a hangout, each friend is taking turns trying to get an adult to buy alcohol for them and that's when Sue Ann come in (or 'Ma' as she will later be called) and volunteers to buy booze for them. She takes it a step further and offers her basement as a drinking safe haven to the teenagers. I know, not creepy at all. More kids find out about the parties in the basement and that's when things take a dark turn.
           This movie is another from Blumhouse productions which falls into the category of films that snuggle alongside Happy Death Day and Truth Or Dare. Basically, another teenage thriller. Although, this one is a bit less accessible since it is rated R and for good reason. From the trailer, one can assume that Ma is obviously not right in the head and does some pretty horrible things. Especially towards the end, it gets a bit more gruesome than you might think.
            Let's start with what I liked. First off, the execution. It's pretty decently paced and it complements the originality of the story. I rarely felt bored or taken out of the movie. It's entertaining enough to keep you interested. If it had poor pacing than I definitely would've found myself wondering how much longer the runtime was which is never a good sign. The premise is also served by its investment in the background of its titular character. There are many moments throughout the film where you are flashbacked to a time where Ma was younger and, as the flashbacks start to tie together in your head, you start to understand why she is the way she is. The film also invests time in her present life as she tries everything to get the kids to come party in her basement. You see all her plannings and her craziness. She isn't treated as some mysterious creature that has yet to get its moment to shine. She gets her moments all through the film. While not to the same extent, it reminds me of how much I was surprised when Thanos received the most screen time in Avengers: Infinity War. I can appreciate when a thriller such as this tries to invest time in developing its villain and making them understood. With that being said, I can't say that Ma's motivations were the strongest. It makes sense why she is the way she is, but its something that has been done before. Granted, the turning event in her young life is somewhat new, but the overall effect of how she went through her adolescence has been seen numerous times. I know that this explanation is extremely vague, but I'm just trying to refrain from spoilers.
           While we are on the topic of characters, I will also say that I really didn't care much for the main group of friends, especially the main friend whose perspective we look through for almost the whole movie. They aren't developed that well and that might be the story's fault. Since Maggie is the brand new member of the friend group, she is obviously the first one to become suspicious. Her relationship with her mom is great, but she goes through barely any character development. I cared more about the guy she has a crush on than I did with her. She hasn't had a lot of time to spend with her new friends before things go crazy. Honestly, the only character I had any emotional reaction for was Ma. With her backstory, it's hard not to take pity on her. I get that because it's a teen thriller, the characters might not be the most likable things to be in the movie, but teen thrillers like these shouldn't just rely on premise alone to be entertaining. Take Truth Or Dare. I could've given two craps about any of those characters. Now take Happy Death Day. While both 1 and 2 aren't the greatest thrillers in the world, the film really cared about the main character and tried to make you care about her. In Ma's case, it's more like Truth Or Dare so the characters besides Ma don't add a whole lot. Nothing more stereotypical than teens drinking on the outskirts of town. Here's how I imagine the conference room meeting to have taken place when the idea for this movie was pitched:
            "Okay, so, you know what teens like to do?
            "Drink!"
            "Yes, but what kinda teens?"
            "....uuhhhh"
            "small town teens!"
            "cool! where are you going with this?"
            "They usually have a drinking spot that is known to other small town teens, right?"
            "Right!"
            "Okay so get this: a horror movie where the drinking spot is haunted!"
            "*executes jazz hands*"
            ".......I love it. Here's your 5 million dollar budget."
Even though the premise of the movie doesn't involve the supernatural, I feel as though there's a chance that that's how the idea for this movie started.
            Despite what I've said about the characters, at least Octavia Spencer gives a great performance. This is by no means her best work, but it's great considering how out of place the role is for her. Also, Allison Janney is in this for like a whole 60 seconds so...that's something.
            Overall, this movie has a great premise that is decently executed, even if the characters are somewhat detrimental to the film's desired emotional reaction. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but it fits into what Blumhouse is putting out lately in terms of thrillers. I can't say that you'll like it, but it'll at least keep you occupied for 90 minutes. 6/10
 *I'm putting it right in between the blue and the orange range because I can't make up my mind.