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Mother

Mother

She'll stop at nothing.

2009129 minRMidcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Director
Bong Joon Ho
Starring
Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yun Je-mun

A mother lives quietly with her son. One day, a girl is brutally killed, and the boy is charged with the murder. Now, it's his mother's mission to prove him innocent.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Mother?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Mother streaming on Magnolia Selects via Prime Video, Monsters and Nightmares via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Mother?

Mother earns 9 badges, led by Modern classic and Top 5% of films.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Mother worth watching?

Mother's Midcredits score is the 98th percentile of all films, from 293K ratings across 6 sources. 88% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

98th percentile

Better received than 98% of films

98th percentile among Crime98th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)96th
Approval (how many liked it)97th

79 /100

96th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Crime97th percentile among 2000s

Critics 79 · Audience 79

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

88% liked it

97th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Crime97th percentile among 2000s
88% rated it 7–1012% rated it 1–6

Critics 96% · Audience 89%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 44 wins / 47 noms overall

97th percentile

293K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Crime94th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 8% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$5M
Opening weekend$36K
Domestic gross$552K
Worldwide gross$17M

Returned 3.5× its budget — 83rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps acknowledge the film as a well-acted, visually striking, and twist-driven mystery thriller, though they differ on whether the plot's complexity serves or undermines the story.

Fans praised

  • Kim Hye-ja's electric, emotionally gripping lead performance
  • Won Bin's subtle, unpredictable portrayal of a slow-witted son
  • Twist-filled, ever-evolving plot that keeps viewers guessing

Detractors panned

  • Overly convoluted mystery mechanics and implausible police work
  • Twists feel unearned or predictable, not genuinely surprising
  • Slow pacing and lack of immediate engagement

What stands out

Acting92

Kim Hye-ja's intense, nuanced lead and Won Bin's subtle performance are widely lauded

Originality85

Unique focus on an elderly mother in a crime thriller breaks genre norms

Emotional impactDivisive80

Heart-wrenching moments of maternal love and quiet devastation

Atmosphere80

Immersive small-town setting with unsettling, quirky tone

Characters78

Complex, well-developed leads; small-town supporting cast feels real

TensionDivisive75

Building suspense with Hitchcockian touches, though detractors feel it fizzles

Plot and storyDivisive74

Twist-heavy mystery with surprise twists; detractors see them as convenient

PacingDivisive55

Slow-burn build toward climax; some find it too sluggish

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Mother like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its grim material straight, balancing dark tragedy with absurdist, pitch-black humour that undercuts without irony.
The rideThe film sustains an anxious, foreboding atmosphere from start to finish, with moments of sudden violence and quiet despair.
StructureTold chronologically from the mother's perspective as she uncovers clues, with a conventional beginning, middle, and end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's moral ambiguity and devastating final act linger, prompting reflection on maternal love, guilt, and the lengths one goes to protect family.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA mother investigates her son's arrest for murder, driven to uncover the truth against an incompetent police force and a community quick to judge.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% (this title) · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% (this title) · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Parenthood · 2% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsGuilt · 3% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates how far a mother will go to protect her child, and the moral costs that love can extract.
StanceThe film questions the lengths of maternal love, presenting it as both a strength and a force that can corrupt.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticInstitutionalSmall townRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Byung-woo Lee
SettingA small, unnamed South Korean town, though the place field is limited to the given list.
MusicThe sparse, eerie score underscores the film's uneasy, melancholic atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Mother okay for kids?

R

Mother is rated R: “Rated R for language, some sexual content, violence and drug use” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (71/100), sexual content at intense (67/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at intense (66/100). Overall it is heavier than 56% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 12 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceK12
  • Hong KongIII
  • Netherlands16
  • PortugalM/16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 74% of all filmsHeavier than 56% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 53%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 84%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 49%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 37%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 56%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: violence, sexual content, language, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Mother have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Mother?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Kim Hye-ja
as Mother
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Won Bin
as Yoon Do-joon
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jin Goo
as Jin-tae
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Yun Je-mun
as Je-moon
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jeon Mi-seon
as Mi-seon
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Song Sae-byeok
as Sepaktakraw Detective
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Lee Yeong-seok
as Junk Shop Elder
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Hee-ra Mun
as Moon Ah-jeong
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Chun Woo-hee
as Mi-na
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kim Byeong-Soon
as Group Leader
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Mother?

Movies like Mother include Memories of Murder (2003), The Clinic (2010) and The Deep End (2001). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Bong Joon Ho, and several are films set in a small town.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: parenthood. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Mother?

2.8K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: wrongly accused. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.