Ma
Universal Pictures | Release Date: May 31, 2019 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
53
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 39 Critic Reviews
Positive:
14
Mixed:
22
Negative:
3
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Arizona RepublicKerry LengelMay 29, 2019
Ma is one loony little horror film, and Octavia Spencer has a grand old time being the craziest thing in it. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleMatthew MonagleMay 29, 2019
There are times when Spencer’s character feels less subversive and more like a gonzo Annie Wilkes from Misery; it’s clear that the filmmakers understand how to write Sue Ann in opposition to tropes, less clear that they know how to turn that into something meaningful. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames BerardinelliJun 1, 2019
Many years ago, an acquaintance of mine said “Who needs good art when you’ve got great trash” and that applies here. Although I would stop short of calling this a “gem,” it is at times creepily effective, at least during its first three-fourths. As the film approaches its climax, it loses some of its uniqueness but there’s plenty to like about it before it starts to feel overly familiar. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTom RussoMay 30, 2019
This time, the over-the-top craziness that Spencer slyly serves up fills more than just a pie plate. Read full review
75
ConsequenceTheo EstesMay 30, 2019
Ma may not cover entirely new ground, but the execution still manages to be refreshing. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleMay 29, 2019
Audiences will walk out with that good chiropractor feeling, the one that says, “Yes, I have been manipulated. I have been nothing but manipulated and pounded on for the past 90 minutes. And it was a very satisfying thing.” Read full review
75
The Seattle TimesBrent McKnightMay 29, 2019
Campy and goofy, vicious and bloody, if that sounds like a good time, you might have a lot of fun partying with Ma, even if you won’t remember much tomorrow. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyLeah GreenblattMay 29, 2019
Even as the story descends into full bloody camp at its crescendo, Spencer holds the more ludicrous plot threads together. Read full review
70
Film ThreatMatthew PassantinoJun 1, 2019
The greatest pleasure the movie has to offer is a chance to watch Spencer perform completely unhinged and relish every moment doing so. Read full review
70
SlateSam AdamsMay 29, 2019
Between the exhilaration of great movies and the disappointment of bad ones lie the particular pleasures of trash. Ma isn’t a bad movie, and it’s sure as hell not trying to be a good one, but it scratches a particular itch that neither noble failures nor cranked-out hackwork can touch. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubKatie RifeMay 29, 2019
Spencer provides her character the kind of human dimension only a performer of her caliber could muster. Read full review
63
Washington PostMichael O'SullivanMay 30, 2019
Ma is, at heart, an overly familiar story of terrorized teens, albeit one that manages to find a few new twists to that tired trope. Read full review
63
New York PostJohnny OleksinskiMay 30, 2019
Ma is a much more enjoyable ride than the even more preposterous “Greta,” which got lost in undeserved self-seriousness. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneKatie WalshMay 29, 2019
Known for her lovable roles in "The Help" and "Hidden Figures," Spencer goes dark and sadistic with an enthusiastic glee, her signature smile (and those bangs!), and she creates one of the most memorable horror villains in recent history. She makes "Ma" worth it. Read full review
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