Suburban Thriller Remake Explores Twisted Nanny Obsession

In 2025, director Michelle Garza Cervera has remade the classic 1992 thriller "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" as a smart, but not as thrilling, take on the suburban interloper genre. The film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Caitlin, a lawyer and overprotective mother who is struggling with the stress of raising her second child. Caitlin hires a young woman named Polly, played by Maika Monroe, who desperately needs a job in child care.

Initially, everything seems to be going well, but Caitlin soon becomes increasingly paranoid that Polly has ulterior motives. The film slowly builds tension as Polly's actions, such as feeding the kids sugar, cause Caitlin to become more and more unhinged. Revelations are eventually revealed, leading to a tragic conclusion where the story turns out to be about scarred women who should have been on each other's side.

While the remake is not as subversive as it hints, it still offers meaningful choices, such as leaving Polly's motivations vague for most of the film. The excellent performances by Winstead and Monroe, along with Ariel Marx's intense score, help elevate the material, even if the foreshadowing is a bit heavy-handed. Ultimately, the remake provides a thoughtful take on the "bad nanny" trope, avoiding the pitfall of demonizing the villain.