Although we probably don’t live in a golden age of actors, after all it’s difficult to compare the likes of Chris Pratt, Dwayne Johnson and Adam Sandler to the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep, there is supreme talent out there.

Unarguably two of the best currently working are Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway, both of whom produce compelling work, whatever they’re in. And that’s no different here as they star together in this psychological drama.

1960, suburban America with housewives Alice (Chastain) and Celine (Hathaway) neighbours, living cosily next door to one another. They both have husbands that go out and work, and they both have sons the same age who are friends and go to the same school. It’s an idyllic life and friendship that they have, that has the perfect symmetry.

All that changes however after a tragic accident that sees Celine’s son die. She and her husband are stricken with grief, naturally, and Alice soon finds that her relationship with Celine changes beyond recognition, where both guilt and suspicion are born from grief, as she starts to believe that her own family is now in danger.

This film is based on the 2018 French film Duelles, which in turn was loosely based on the 2012 novel Behind the Hatred written by Barbara Abel.

It also marks the directorial debut for long time cinematographer Benoît Delhomme, whose work includes 1993’s The Scent of Green Papaya, 2008’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, 2014’s The Theory of Everything and 2020’s Minamata.

And as you expect from someone with that kind of pedigree, the film impresses visually. The sixties setting is sumptuous, especially when it comes to the appearance of the film’s two leads, and let’s face it, no one makes sixties costumes look as good as Anne Hathaway.

And then you have the two actresses themselves, who always deliver, and the fact that they appear on screen at the same time is a real treat, much in the same way as seeing De Niro and Pacino share the screen.

And it’s a taut thriller too, deliciously old fashioned, as it builds on the always compelling narrative are they or aren’t they? throughout.

Unfortunately for Delhomme, his directing skills aren’t quite up to the task of making that suspense work. It’s a little off the mark, missing that essential beat, that one that will make an audience take an audible sharp intake of breath in unison. It’s only slightly off, but enough to dull the overall experience.

Many may think it’s an opportunity missed, having such heavyweights of our time perhaps not used to the best of their capabilities, but that would be unfair to both them and the film. As far as they are both concerned their contributions are magnetic, playing off of one another extremely well, so much so that it is a joy to witness.

Although all the ingredients are in place to make Mother’s Instinct deliciously appealing, the director’s inexperience means he just doesn’t have it in him to whip up a classic.

Still, if you’re a fan of either Chastain or Hathaway – and let’s face it, you should be a fan of both – there appearance together is still a tasty proposition not to be missed.