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Serial Mom

Serial Mom

Comedy · Crime · 1994

Beverly is the perfect happy homemaker, along with her doting husband and two children, but this nuclear family just might explode when her fascination with serial killers collides with her ever-so-proper code of ethics.

Movie details

Serial Mom

“Every mom wants to be wanted, but not for murder!”

1994 Comedy · Crime 1h 34m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

Beverly is the perfect happy homemaker, along with her doting husband and two children, but this nuclear family just might explode when her fascination with serial killers collides with her ever-so-proper code of ethics.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Serial Mom?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Throw Momma from the Train

Throw Momma from the Train

Comedy · 1987

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

John Waters

Written by

John Waters

Kathleen Turner

Kathleen Turner

Beverly Sutphin

Sam Waterston

Sam Waterston

Eugene Sutphin

Ricki Lake

Ricki Lake

Misty Sutphin

Matthew Lillard

Matthew Lillard

Chip Sutphin

Scott Morgan

Scott Morgan

Detective Pike

Walt MacPherson

Walt MacPherson

Detective Gracey

Justin Whalin

Justin Whalin

Scotty

Court is in session

Put Serial Mom on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Cool Ironist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.