“Goodnight Mommy” confuses viewers

Recently added to the Portland Queer and Foreign Film Festival roster was the psychological German drama “Ich Seh, Ich Seh” (“Goodnight Mommy”). The lack of much advance information didn’t keep it from getting a good turnout, however. “Ich Seh, Ich Seh” is a story that takes a dark turn for twins Elias and Lucas after their mother comes home from a bad accident, acting like a different person. The movie illustrates a strong bond between twins, and a dark struggle as the boys try to figure out what is real.

The film unfolds on a remote farm where the two boys travel to be with their mother as she recuperates. Much to the boys’ dismay, she seems like a different, angry woman, who won’t even acknowledge one of her own sons. The movie illustrates the struggle between the two and the mother as the boys try to decipher if she is actually their real mother, and what the reality of their situation is.
There is no backstory, and some of the plot needs to be figured out by bits and pieces of conversation throughout the film. This makes it a little confusing. The viewer may figure out a few things as the movie progresses, but everything doesn’t make sense until nearly the end. What actually happened to the mother is never answered but questions like some of the boy’s attitudes and the mother’s strange behavior and what was real and what was imagined all finally make sense in the last part of this film.
The movie is definitely more psychological than action – with pieces of the horror genera, such as a house in the middle of nowhere, cornfields, torture and death – mixed into the plot.
Honestly, this movie is hard to describe without giving it away, and is difficult to explain. The trailer to this movie makes it seem like there is more action then there really is. The film is slow, but the creepy parts stick with you. If I was to rate it, I’d give it 3 stars for creepy and confusing.  But if a viewer likes action and to have a good idea of what’s going on, I don’t recommend it. But if you’re a person who likes it better watching mysteries unfold and are a fan of creepy, I recommend this for you.