The Mother of Tears
An art student with mysterious powers battles an ancient witch whose unsealed urn unleashes occult violence across Rome.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- lurid
- frantic
- grotesque
- late night horror marathon
- cult movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film entertaining in its lurid excess but uneven, incoherent, and markedly weaker than Argento's earlier supernatural horror.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The returning witch, demonic crowds, violent rituals, and flamboyant Rome-set set pieces prioritize maximalist gothic spectacle.
Opening the ancient urn in a cemetery initiates the wave of robberies, assaults, murders, and witchcraft.
Critics repeatedly described the film as excessive, cheesy, hectic, breathless, and unintentionally hilarious while still energetically entertaining.
Art student Sarah Mandy appears to possess her own supernatural abilities and becomes the sole defender against Mater Lachrymarum.
Films like The Mother of Tears, and why
Suspiria
baroque supernatural horror, occult mythology, saturated violence, and stylized excess
Inferno
occult horror with demonic forces, graphic set pieces, and feverish visual flamboyance
Phenomena
Italian giallo tradition, supernatural investigation, and extravagant splatter imagery
The Church
campy religious horror, apocalyptic supernatural conflict, and graphic exploitation aesthetics
Movie Details
- Director
- Dario Argento
- Release Date
- 2007-10-31
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 4.6 / 10 (464)
Cast
- Asia Argento
- Cristian Solimeno
- Adam James
- Moran Atias
- Valéria Cavalli
- Philippe Leroy
- Daria Nicolodi
- Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni
- Udo Kier
- Robert Madison
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Mother of Tears about?
- An art student with mysterious powers battles an ancient witch whose unsealed urn unleashes occult violence across Rome.
- What is The Mother of Tears like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Mother of Tears as breakneck, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Mother of Tears violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Mother of Tears as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Mother of Tears?
- Critics broadly found the film entertaining in its lurid excess but uneven, incoherent, and markedly weaker than Argento's earlier supernatural horror.
- Which films are like The Mother of Tears?
- Films with a similar feel include Suspiria, Inferno, Phenomena, and The Church.
- How long is The Mother of Tears?
- The Mother of Tears runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Mother of Tears?
- In United States, The Mother of Tears streams on MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel.
