Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant: Movie Review

Cast: Hannah Lynch, Arlo Green, Jonny Brugh, Jackie van Beek, Yvette Parsons
Director: Thunderlips

New Zealand film continues its trend of weird body horror films with this tale of alien immaculate conception put through a prism of a mother and daughter relationship.

Mary (Lynch) is a layabout at home - content to spend her time masturbating to sci-fi anime and avoiding her overbearing mother Cynthia (Parsons, brilliant in her kookiness), she lives a socially solitary life away from anyone. But when her mother introduces herself to the new neighbour (Van Beek) and hears her son Boo (Green) is deformed, Mary finds herself on a collision course with him.

After a chance encounter in a laundromat piques both their curiosities, Mary ends up pregnant and racing against time to get an extraterrestrial lifeform out of her...

Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant is a gross out film in many of the expected ways, but what also emerges from this raucously funny and offbeat tentacle-obsessed tale is one of connection.

Whether it's the relationship between the mothers and both their siblings, or Mary and Boo, or even Mary and the doctor who sees her (Brugh, in fine fettle), the film makes great fist of quick quips, classic one-liners and insights into the different kind of relationships which emerge from the banalities of life.

With some truly impressive effects and a great grounded performance from Lynch, Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant does more than just prove to be a crowd-pleasing late night film. It has a heart and an inherent commitment to its premise that's infectious and enjoyable.

Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant is destined for cult classic status - and that's no bad thing for a film that's so clearly based in the out of this world fantasies, it's the down to earth moments which impress and endure the most.

Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant is playing at the New Zealand International Film Festival - for times, see nziff.co.nz