Now this is an awesome movie! I would put The Hand That Rocks The Cradle right up there with the best thrillers the 90s has to offer. Actually, I would say that it is one of the best thrillers of all time, never mind just the 90s! This movie is a huge favorite of my wife’s and even though we have seen this many times and know exactly what is going to happen, it is always a fun and exciting time watching this movie.
How to Download The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was released on January 10, 1992. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like psychological thriller movies, we additionally recommend Sleeping with the Enemy, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Secret Window, or Saltburn.
The Movie Review
Annabella Sciorra plays the role of a woman called Claire Bartel. Claire lives with her husband, Michael, and daughter Emma and she is pregnant. While getting a checkup, Claire is sexually assaulted by her obstetrician Dr. Mott. Claire comes forward with what happened and this opens the door for others to do the same and the authorities close in on Dr. Mott.
Before he can be prosecuted, Dr. Mott takes his life! This is not the end though, his wife, who is pregnant, loses the baby over the shock, has to get a hysterectomy, and loses her home and all her money because of this too! As you would expect, this sends Mrs. Mott over the edge and she decides to get revenge on the person she blames for all of this, Claire!
This leads to Mrs. Mott taking on a new persona. Six months after all of this goes, down Claire needs a nanny to help with her new baby and this is where Mrs. Mott comes back, but now she is going by the name Peyton. She worms her way into the family’s life, undermining Claire and turning them against her.
A Standout Performance by Rebecca De Mornay
Peyton is played by Rebecca De Mornay and she is amazing. I would put her up there as one of the greatest villains of all time! She is cunning, brutal, and psychotic and the way that Rebecca De Mornay brings this character to life is truly incredible stuff. Claire starts to figure out what is going on and has to do whatever it takes to save herself and her family.
Supporting Cast Shines
As well as Rebecca De Mornay being amazing, Winston Zedmore, Ernie Hudson plays the role of the gardener/caretaker, Solomon and he also gives a stunning performance. There is a brutal and heartbreaking scene with Solomon that shows you just how crazy and ruthless Peyton is!
Timeless Thrills
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle is one of those movies that I wish I could watch for the first time again! Still, even though I know exactly what is going to happen, the final act has me on edge every time. The stuff that Peyton does to the husband really makes me wince even though I know it is coming.
The thing with this movie is that if you read the “professional reviews” they are not exactly all that great, none say the movie is bad. However, I have never felt that those “real” movie critics have given this the credit it deserves. If for whatever reason you have never seen this, do yourself a favor and watch it. I do hope this gets some kind of 4K remaster, I have the 20th anniversary release they did, but even on Blu-Ray, it is very, very dark.
