Hilary Swank, Olivia Cooke and Jack Reynor joined forces to bring to life a crime thriller that has become the most-watched movie on Hulu globally: The Good Mother. Directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, the story has gained popularity in recent days.

It was co-written by the filmmaker himself and Madison Harrison, who also played the role of Michael. The narrative has everything a thriller should have, including plenty of suspense, crime, and countless scenes of pursuit and chaos.

This time, the plot follows a journalist who, after the murder of her son, forms an alliance with his pregnant girlfriend to find those responsible for his death. Many critics, like Katie Rife from Robert Ebert’s site, have noted that it’s a typical story that could be based on real events.

The Good Mother is Hulu’s most watched movie worldwide

The Good Mother became the most-watched movie on Hulu globally about two days ago, completely dominating the charts and surpassing other titles like Self Reliance with Anna Kendrick and The Baker with Ron Perlman.

Jack Reynor and Olivia Cooke in The Good Mother. (Source: IMDb)

According to the metrics-focused site Flix Patrol, the crime thriller has become one of the platform’s favorites and has garnered a significant number of views within hours, potentially holding onto the top spot for some time.

Hillary Swank played the main character, the journalist Marissa. Meanwhile, Olivia Cooke portrayed Paige, the girlfriend of her son Michael, and Jack Reynor played Toby, her other son, who joins the investigation.

Despite now trending again, it received mixed reviews when it debuted in 2023. Katie Rife gave it two out of five stars and wrote that it was a depressing story, and the initial development was a “crass path to an unsatisfying conclusion”.

On Rotten Tomatoes, it garnered several positive reviews, and the site’s consensus stated that “The Good Mother has dramatic potential, a talented cast, and addresses important themes”. Many users have given it a rating of 4.8 out of 10.

Is The Good Mother based on a true story?

The Good Mother is not based on a true story but was developed from a screenplay co-written by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Madison Harrison. Despite having elements that could make one believe the events truly happened, this is not the case.

According to the official synopsis, the plot follows a journalist who, after the murder of her son from whom she is estranged, forms an unlikely alliance with her pregnant girlfriend and her other son, Tony, to track down those responsible for his death.

Together, they confront a world of corruption and drugs in the most vulnerable part of a small town in upstate New York. As they get closer to the truth, they uncover an even darker secret that could cost them their lives.