90s Movie Review - The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

Director: Curtis Hanson
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 1992
Starring: Rebecca De Mornay, Annabella Sciorra, Matt McCoy, Ernie Hudson, Julianne Moore, Madeline Zima

Description: After her humiliated husband kills herself, an embittered pregnant widow (Rebecca De Mornay) loses her child and embarks on a mission of vengeance against a woman (Annabella Sciorra) and her family.

Review: “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” is a good example of not trusting everyone, much less putting them in charge of your household if you don’t know who you’re dealing with. In this thriller, the Bartel family unwittingly falls victim to a vengeful nanny.
Claire and her husband Michael could use all the help they can get in and around the house. After assigning handyman Solomon to renew the fence, they search for a suitable nanny to care for little Emma and their newly born baby Joe. Soon the friendly Peyton shows up on their doorstep unannounced to apply for the job.
Peyton moves in with the Bartels and for a while everything seems to be perfect. But a chain of unwanted coincidences and accidents arouse suspicion among the Bartels and their good friend Marlene.
Rebecca De Mornay does an excellent job playing the role of Peyton, the shrew who is relentless when taking revenge on the Bartels. It is occasionally scary to see the look in her eyes whenever she has schemed another plan. Ernie Hudson, who plays Solomon, also does a really good job, as the handyman with a mental disability who soon realizes that Peyton is a threat.
Despite the fact that the acting by Annabella Sciorra and Matt McCoy is pretty ordinary, director Curtis Hanson manages to deliver a good and solid thriller. The story is simple, but exciting enough to keep you captivated the entire runtime.

Rating: 4/ 5