Other Mommy

Seven-year-old Isabela "Bela" Martin struggles to adjust to a new school and cope with the growing distance between her parents. Her mother, Ursula, is consumed by her corporate career, while her father, Russell "Russ", is an unemployed househusband who spends much of his time caring for Bela. Bela begins encountering a supernatural entity resembling her mother that she calls Other Mommy, which repeatedly asks her to let it into her heart. One afternoon, Ursula returns home from work unexpectedly while Russ is asleep, ostensibly to have lunch with Bela. Ursula's mannerisms are noticeably stilted, and she eventually asks to be let into Bela's heart, whereupon Bela identifies her as Other Mommy. Russ enters the kitchen when the burning food triggers the smoke alarm and leaves the house in a panic with Bela after seeing Other Mommy contorted unnaturally under the counter. Other Mommy's appearances grow increasingly frightening as it follows Bela beyond her bedroom, changes shape, and distorts its surroundings. At Russ and Ursula's anniversary party, it takes on the form of Bela's babysitter Kelvin, seemingly makes every guest disappear, lifts Bela to the ceiling, and attempts to force its way into her. Bela fights it off and falls back into the crowded room. Realizing that they are in danger, the family goes to stay with Ursula's friend Frank. At Frank's house, Bela finds Ursula's contact lens case, leading Russ to suspect that Ursula is having an affair with Frank. That night, Other Mommy appears and, exploiting the family's tension, manipulates Bela into wishing Frank out of their lives, subsequently killing Frank in front of the family, surviving the gunshots he fires at it. The family flees to a fast food restaurant, but Other Mommy attacks again, transporting Bela from the play area to her bedroom and then to a lake beneath a hilltop mansion. There, it grows enormous and nearly crushes Bela with its hand. It tells Bela that Ursula wishes she never existed before returning her to the family's car. The family travels to the home of Ursula's estranged mother, Ruth, who claims to be a clairvoyant. Ruth shelters the family and hires paranormal investigators, who explain that demons are often drawn to children due to their innocence and identify Other Mommy as a trickster demon seeking to "carnate" into Bela and take over her life, though unable to do so without her permission. As the investigators prepare their equipment, Ruth tells Bela that pain is an unavoidable part of life. The team's séance summons Other Mommy, but the investigators prove powerless against it and are killed. The family escapes as the entity continues threatening Bela. Determined to stop running, the family returns home to confront Other Mommy. Their weapons prove ineffective, forcing them to barricade themselves in the basement. Hoping to stop the attacks, Ursula resolves to "destroy" Bela's innocence and finally confesses that Bela's real father is not Russ, but Ursula's first husband, whom she left for Russ. She then admits that she never wanted to be a mother, but promises Bela that she loves her regardless. Ursula's confession appears to weaken Other Mommy, but it devastates Bela, who runs to her bedroom and begs the entity to enter her heart. Other Mommy appears and promises that Bela will never experience pain again. Remembering Ruth's lesson, Bela fights back, repeatedly denying the entity permission until she defeats it. Months later, Bela, Ursula, and Russ happily hang Christmas lights together, though Bela notices a despondent look on Ursula's face.