The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Review: Monroe and Winstead shine in this Remake

PLOT: In the psychological thriller from director Michelle Garza Cervera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as Caitlin Morales, an upscale suburban mom who brings a new nanny, Polly Murphy (Maika Monroe), into her home, only to discover she is not the person she claims to be.

REVIEW: I think most of us remember the original Hand That Rocks The Cradle as the film that Rebecca De Mornay absolutely stole the show in. Her unhinged performance was a barometer for future “you did me wrong!” performances. And it’s honestly a bit shocking that it took this long for us to finally get a reboot of the film. Those who are worried this will follow the same path as the original should rest easy as, outside of the concept of a woman coming into another home to try and destroy it, many other elements are changed. I always appreciated the original but was never a massive fan, and I quite liked the changes here.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle follows a young mom, Caitlin, who brings Polly into her house to be a nanny. Polly starts to manipulate her way into the family and alienates Caitlin in a way that makes her into a paranoid mess as she tries to take her place. Her husband (played by Raul Castillo) is a bit of an aloof dummy, who is far too quick to think his wife is just being paranoid. And their daughter is desperate for a parental figure that is less stringent, so she takes to Polly almost immediately.

The film is really anchored by the performances of its two leads. Maika Monroe is able to flip that switch from sweet and innocent to absolutely crazy in an instant. It’s nice to see her get to play an antagonist for once. Mary Elizabeth Winstead also gets to do so much with the “am I just imagining this” side of things. Neither actress goes too far in either direction, so it keeps the intrigue alive throughout. However, it’s great to finally see Monroe get to embrace the craziness that’s been bubbling beneath the surface for most of the runtime. If anything, I wanted more of that. Then, to have the two square off is an absolute treat. These are two women who were/are big parts of the horror genre, so it’s really cool to get to see them spar in this way.

Admittedly, I do find that the film falters a bit narratively at times. It falls into basic horror traps rather than focusing on the strongest element: the performances. All it really needed to do was to show Monroe and Winstead going head-to-head psychologically, and it would have been improved. I, personally, didn’t need the subplot involving Martin Starr’s character, as it takes some of the ambiguity away. There are also a few too many scenes that feel more like they’re checking off a horror trope box versus actually adding anything substantial to the story. Not sure if it was studio notes to add more horror, but it clashes with the better parts of the film.

I really liked how the film was shot, with some wonderful use of windows and mirrors to visually reflect certain narrative choices. There’s a certain command of the frame that captures your attention at the right moments. Admittedly, the pacing can drag a bit, as this is more of a slow burn. But I was intrigued enough by the story that it didn’t bother me. While I’ll obviously avoid spoilers, I also felt the end stinger was very tacked on and unnecessary. It leaves the film on a strange note, and like another misguided horror trope.

Despite its flaws, I enjoyed The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. Sure, there are some over-the-top moments, but it’s mostly a grounded look at one woman trying to destroy another woman’s life. Monroe and Winstead give great performances, though Maika’s is obviously a more showy part, given the duality of the character. Both are able to bring plenty of intrigue whenever they’re on screen. They just needed some stronger supporting characters around them to really make this story pop. Still, those showing up for the conflict between these two underrated actresses should not be disappointed.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle is Streaming on Hulu on October 22nd, 2025.