In a scene of “Mother's baby” Visits main character Julia (Marie Leuenberger) a baby business. She should be happy, join the radiant mothers and fathers and buy something nice for your child. But she feels strange in the place … and takes flight after a short time. The scene symbolizes the fact that she is also strange to her the child she has brought her world. But is this binding disorder really just a symptom of postpartum depression, how your environment wants to make you know? Or is it perhaps not “your” child, after all, there are some signs that something is wrong with a doctor and clinic?
Director and screenwriter Johanna Moder (“once revolutionary”) does not tell the (depression) drama, which may be indicated in the first few minutes. Instead, her film tilts more and more towards a Paranoia thriller or even horror film, in which the question is seriously asks whether Julia may be the only person with her absurd suspicions. However, “Mother's Baby” brakes that Moden still remains firmly with one leg in the more conventional drama. The great Marie Leuenberger (“burnt earth”) makes up for a good piece again in the leading role.
Julia (Marie Leuenberger) is certain that something is wrong with “her” baby …
What actually seemed impossible has now become a reality: thanks to the private, expensive and working fertility clinic with the latest technology by Dr. Vilfort (Claes Bang) await the 40-year-old conductor Julia and her husband Georg (Hans Löw). But there are complications at birth: Julia is not allowed to hug your baby immediately, instead it is immediately brought to a different clinic for emergency care. The fresh family is finally finally united the next day. The newborn is very healthy despite the suspicion of oxygen support. But Julia is increasingly strangers with the baby …
Even weeks after birth, she cannot choose a name for the boy who looks like something strange on her. And why is the baby so quiet all the time and never really seems to feel hungry? Why does you recommend them to Dr. Vilfort's team belonging to the midwife Gerlinde (Julia Franz Richter) to use replacement milk instead of breastfeeding yourself? Aren't midwives always in favor of breastfeeding mothers as long as possible? Julia is looking for contradictions and more and more. But does she only increase in something? After all, everyone tells her again and again that “everything is quite normal” and with her baby “everything is fine”.
This bad guy is clearly clear
If you Netflix- “Dracula” Claes Bang Published as an over -friendly fertility wonder, you give a clear direction. After all, the Danish actor for charismatic, but morally at least at least ambivalent and often threatening figures (“conspiracy”, “The Northman”) is known. Here his Dr. Vilfort seamlessly. The Bang, which has been a sensation internationally for a sensation since his leading role in Ruben Östland's art satire, always puts on a facial expression that radiates calm, but causes discomfort. So you are inclined early to believe Julia and also suspect that something abysmal is going on here.
Nevertheless, there is an uncertainty in “Mother's Baby” for a long time. Maybe Julia only forms a lot, possibly we follow her subjective look, from which the doctor, his midwife, the sterile clinic and the Mexican cocklurch Axolotl, which takes an important role, seem so scary. Basically, it is a promising idea to play not only the protagonist, but also of the audience with this bullelessness. However, the drama is not very convincingly told. It all remains very superficial and striking. Again and again we are underlined by the inability to give him a name. And that Julia speaks of 'Es' several times when she thinks her son increases the emotional distance – without really pulling us into her emotional world.
Claes Bang as Dr. Vilfort-After a look at the casting list, it is clear that something with the fertility wonderwear cannot be right!
“Mother's Baby” always convinces when it gets exciting – and this is surprisingly early for the first time: rarely birth scenes are rarely shown as undressed as here. It is a small mini thriller whether the thing is going well. It is also captivating when Julia gradually begins to guess what might be in the basement of the clinic. However, the last step is not taken to fully tip the horror thriller with sci-fi striking. With this brackets to the Arthouse, the event is unnecessarily slowed down.
The greatest strength is also the rather fading moments through the main actress Marie Leuenbergerwho recently also as a escape car driver in “Burnt earth“It was enthusiastic: With her impressive mine game, she makes the isolation of a woman left alone by her environment. Even if the staging was often able to underline this isolation with images, we still feel it first -hand thanks to the famous performance.
Conclusion: “Mother's Baby” begins as a drama about postpartum depression and flows into a paranoia thriller about an eerie clinic secret. But the film remains trapped between these two genres without choosing one. Thanks to a great Marie Leuenberger and some captivating moments, excitement is still developing. With a more consistent genre and border crossing, “Mother's Baby” could have been a real highlight.
We saw “Mother's Baby” as part of the Berlinale 2025, where the film celebrated its world premiere as part of the official competition.