Umma – ABC Film Challenge – Catch-Up 2022 – U – Umma – Movie Review
Director: Iris K Shim
Writer: Iris K Shim (Screenplay)
Cast
- Sandra Oh (Sideways)
- Fivel Stewart (American Satan)
- Dermot Mulroney (August: Osage County)
- Odeya Rush (Lady Bird)
- MeeWha Alana Lee (Awkwafina is Nora from Queens)
Plot: Amanda and her daughter live a quiet life on an American farm, but when the remains of her estranged mother arrive from Korea, Amanda becomes haunted by the fear of turning into her own mother.
Runtime: 1 Hour 23 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Umma starts as Amanda (Oh) created a new life with her daughter Chris (Stewart) in America. They live a quiet life away from the modern technologies of the world. When the remains of Amanda’s mother arrive on their farm, Amanda starts to become haunted by her past once again.
As Chris starts to plan to leave and attend college, she learns of the controlling nature that runs through their family. Can Amanda shake the demons of her mother before she loses her relationship with her own daughter? Or is there something more sinister attached to the family?
Verdict on Umma
Umma is a mystery horror that follows a mother-daughter relationship. It follows a mother that tried to set up a new life away from her Korean roots to escape an abusive mother. When her mother dies, she finds herself transforming into her own mother while dealing with her own daughter getting to college age.
This is a horror that feels like it falls very short. It is clear that there is meant to be some metaphor for a mother letting her child go. Only it gets caught up with plenty of uncertainty going on. When it comes to horror there doesn’t seem to be any real scares. Only giving us a few odd moments that are strange more than scary. The movie fails to utilise the talent of Sandra Oh to bring anything to the picture.
Final Thoughts – Umma is a flat horror that never really gets going.
