“After her humiliated husband kills himself, an embittered pregnant widow loses her child, and embarks on a mission of vengeance against a woman and her family.” –IMDb
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Starring
Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca De Mornay, Matt McCoy, Madeline Zima, Ernie Hudson, and Julianne Moore
Directed by: Curtis Hanson
Box Office: $88,036,683 Gross Worldwide
I will never forget…
the first time I watched this film. I was still in high school, and my Sister planned a fun sleep overnight for us at her apartment. These nights were always special for me, and are some of my favorite memories to this day.
This is one of the films my Sister had chosen for us to watch while we indulged in some junk food and had Sister time (after a healthy and delicious dinner of course). I loved this film right away. I have always been a fan of thriller/horror movies. This is one of the more subtle films that offer suspense without needing all of the “blood and gore’ that other films offer.
The film revolves around a family and their seemingly innocent Nanny who we soon learn has other motives. After losing her baby and her husband committing suicide, Peyton (De Mornay) gets the position of a Nanny. Not just any Nanny, either. She will be working for the woman, Claire (Sciorra), who she blames for her whole life falling apart. Claire has no idea that Peyton has her own personal agenda since they had never previously met.
Throughout the film, things with Claire’s newborn son, family, and house, begin to feel different the longer Peyton works for the family. While her husband believes she is overreacting, Claire knows something isn’t right with their new Nanny. You are left wondering what will happen right up until the end of the film and the end does not disappoint.
Thoughts
I had not watched The Hand That Rocks the Cradle for at least 5 years. It was my mission to find it for my Sister as a Christmas gift for years. I could never find it in stores so I told myself not to watch it again until I could find it. Eventually, I could not wait any longer and recently watched it again to see if it was as good as I remember it being. It is. Now that I am older, I understand the film more and certain scenes still leave me with chills.
I am always a bit apprehensive when it comes to films done in the 80s/90s. Not because they aren’t quality films, but because the acting can seem so cheesy at times. While there may be a few scenes that involve a cheesy script, I don’t find this movie to be over the top. Perhaps it is because of my absolute love for the film, but there are very few things wrong with it.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys “light” thrillers. I have heard numerous times that it is hard for parents to watch (horror/thriller) films that involve children. Do you find this to be true?
I recently watched a film called Emelie. It makes me never want to hire a babysitter that I don’t already personally know. Any other horror/thriller film recommendations? I can never have enough of them so please comment!