Octavia Spencer is one of the most accomplished actresses working today, but you wouldn’t know it from some of her roles. She walks the line between a charismatic star and a memorable character actor. You’ll see her in just about everything, but she rarely takes leading roles. In 2019, Blumhouse gave Spencer a chance to lead Ma, a slasher film that does things differently.
Director Tate Taylor put this film together with the power of friendship. He’s been close with Spencer since before either of them were famous, and he bonded with Jason Blum as well. Taylor wanted to direct a horror film, so Blum hooked him up with a decent script. Spencer wanted to star in a horror film, so Taylor came straight to her with the lead role. The guy behind The Help and The Girl on the Train may not have been the typical first choice, but at least he has a unique vision.
Octavia Spencer Seeks High School Revenge in Ma
Ma follows a handful of rambunctious youths who desperately want a way to get alcohol. Maggie, the new kid in her mom’s hometown, helps her pals connect with Sue Ann Ellington, a local single mom. Sue Ann buys them booze but quickly and anonymously calls the cops. Though the kids get off with a warning, they need a safe space, which Sue Ann provides. The teens take to calling Sue “Ma,” and though she consistently acts unusual, Octavia Spencer’s charm wins them over. In time, Ma’s actions escalate from humiliation and stalking to wild endangerment. As the teens’ parents get involved, it becomes clear that the youths are pawns as part of a complex revenge scheme. Ma becomes increasingly unhinged as she exacts retribution upon the sons and daughters of her former tormenters. Maggie and her friends will have to outwit Ma’s machinations in order to survive.
Ma fits well into Blumhouse’s usual distribution strategy, but it’s an odd piece of the puzzle. The company lends a few million dollars to just about any script that walks through the door. It seems like half of the horror films that hit theaters come out of Jason Blum’s office. They throw everything against the wall and ignore their many failures. Most Blumhouse movies are cheap, dumb, and derivative, but they’ve unleashed some instant classics upon the genre. Ma is unique among the catalog, bringing a degree of acting talent that isn’t common to their work. Octavia Spencer leads the charge with an impressively unhinged performance. The supporting cast, including Juliette Lewis, Missi Pyle, Luke Evans, and Allison Janney, carries their weight as well. The subtle moments of emotional dialogue elevate a film that isn’t as scary or impactful as it could be.
Ma inarguably spoke to some people, but a lot of critics didn’t care for it. It earned a remarkable $61 million on a $5 million budget. Its Rotten Tomatoes score sits at 56%, but there’s a strong cult audience for Ma. Behind all the strange edits and dodgy scares, there’s something real and raw in Ma‘s script. Some viewers will feel a true pang of horror that stains the backstory much more than the main plot. Ma is well worth watching, and it should be a sign to let Octavia Spencer lead more horror films.
