Perceptions can be deceiving. Adapted from the 2014 Austrian film, “Goodnight Mommy” is a 2022 psychological thriller film that highlights the fine line between reality and fantasy. Well, the whole movie revolves around the lives of Elias, Lukas, and their mother. The twin brothers were all set to spend some quality time with their mother since it had been a long time. But the moment they approach her, something is inconsistent. Their loving mother is changed, and her ignorance suffocates them. The boys couldn’t make out her expressions as her face was covered with a facial bandage. Even though she cleared their doubts, the twins still questioned her identity. In reality, their mother just went through surgery to reconstruct her face. But the twins believed that an imposter was claiming her identity under the mask. Meanwhile, the story took a different turn when Elias overheard his mother attending calls and complaining about Elias and Lukas’ bond. Elias knew that his mother wanted to separate them. Gradually, both of them began to fear her actions, and in this process, she lost control and handled them roughly. The twins feared this side of their mother’s personality and decided to run off to the barn.
After a few days, authorities from the town approach the property, and the boys are found. Well, the boys were questioned, and they shared all the little details about their mother. The twins are deceived when they’re taken back home since the cops were supposed to take them to a better place. Their mother was completely fine with no bandages on her face. The cops explained the whole incident in detail and left the house. Meanwhile, the twins’ mother confronts them about the dreadful situation she was put in. She had to remove her bandages three days before the due date, and also stepped out in the rainstorm to look for her children. After this incident, both of them were sure that this individual was not their mother. Lukas tries to convince Elias to come up with a new escape plan.
But Elias had other plans. He decides to tie her to the bed and force her to confess. But the mother wanted them to believe her. After torturing her for a while, the boys decide to leave with her hands taped to the bed. While Lukas was busy packing, Elias found a contact lens case, where he got a pair of green lenses. This revelation hits him harder, and he stomps his way back to his mother’s room. Well, he knew something was very wrong, as, in the beginning, Lukas was the one who had claimed that their mother’s eyes were green and not blue. But now, Elias was sure about Lukas’ intentions. A heartbroken Elias sobs in his mother’s arms and vents his anger and confusion, untying her hands. On the other hand, Lukas confronts Elias about this incident and demands an explanation. In this process, the twins end up in a huge fight, and Lukas tries to chase him down, but Elias manages to escape and shuts the door on him.
The moment his mother is free, the banging on the door stops. Elias has a huge breakdown and reveals that he is scared as something’s wrong with Lukas. So, his mother decides to take Elias to the forbidden barn, where he follows her upstairs. Ahead of him was a huge wall, and there was a blood stain on it. This sight upsets Elias, and his mother helps him to understand that he cannot pretend anymore. She knew that Elias was aware of everything that happened in the barn, but he was not accepting it. This is where a huge plot twist comes in. We come to know that Elias and Lukas were playing together when Elias had a loaded gun, and he accidentally shot Lukas to death. She shows him the difference between fantasy and reality, and now Elias knows that the blood stains were real. Upon hearing this, Elias loses control and accidentally pushes his mother down.
By the time Elias could make out the consequences, his mother had already lost her life. Even if she was alive, the lantern that she had carried started to burn the whole barn. Elias manages to escape, but he can’t save his mother. Here, Elias is greeted by Lukas and his mother, and they’re perfectly fine. Elias is shocked to see them as he had just killed his mother. This time, his mother didn’t snap at him; she hugged him instead and took him along with her. “Goodnight Mommy” ends on an ambiguous note, but one thing is pretty clear: Elias ended up killing Lukas, and throughout “Goodnight Mommy,” Lukas was never present. Lukas was a part of his hallucination, and he coerced Elias to commit all the atrocities against his mother. Even though he knew this, Elias never recovered from the death of Lukas. Now, it is clear that Elias was responsible for all the events, and his mental health was worsening now as he was hallucinating his mother and Lukas at the same time.
See More: Why Did The Parents Get Separated In ‘Goodnight Mommy’?
