Finally, a leading lady role for Octavia Spencer, as she gets to play a flamboyant teenager killer! Ten bucks says that this is going to be a lot of fun.
It’s the waning hours of Mother’s Day, so it’s only appropriate to get this last Mom themed tidbit posted. Octavia Spencer, one of the great actresses of our time is going to play against her typical type and put on her horror villain shoes. Normally, Spencer is the comic relief or the loyal buddy. Great supporting actress roles. But now the Oscar-winning actress (Nominations for The Help (win), Hidden Figures, and The Shape of Water) gets to sink her teeth into a leading role. And as many great actors will tell you, getting to be the villain can sometimes be the most fun and fulfilling roles.
Spencer has that rare charisma that just punches through the screen, and if she can translate that charm into menace for this film, this movie could be special. When actors in their prime get their pick of scripts, and they go on the type of awards run that Spencer has, you’ve got to trust that she saw something in the story to sign her up. (Though, it could also just be that she FINALLY has been given a juicy lead role.) This is one of those “if it’s too good to be true” stories that come back to haunt a group of teenagers just looking for a good time.
Spencer plays Sue Ann or “Ma” as she prefers, who after getting booze for the youngsters, asks them if they want to party like rock stars. Given that the kids already asked her to buy them booze, their response was a no-brainer. Now Ma’s house is the most happening hangout in town.
The back half of the trailer lets you know where this plot is going to go. There is something off about Sue Ann, and she’s getting a bit too close to the kids. And then she’s getting downright homicidal with them. I do worry a bit that the trailer might be one of those “Don’t show too much of the plot” trailers, but I’m fairly convinced that the movie, if not Oscar-worthy, will be at least fun.
Ma is going to be released on May 31, and The Scariest Things will be watching it at the Overlook Film Festival on that date.