This New Thriller Remake Is Climbing the Charts—So Why Are Viewers Roasting It?

To stream or not to stream, that is the question

Published Oct 24, 2025

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3:01pm

Suzanne Tenner

A new psychological thriller has arrived on the scene and unlike some recent crowd-pleasers, this one isn’t exactly earning rave reviews. In fact, the reactions have been kind of brutal. Still, despite the backlash, the film has been steadily climbing the charts since its premiere on October 22, even snagging the top spot on Hulu’s “Top Movies” list for the day. What film could be so polarizing? Hulu's The Hand That Rocks The Cradle.

The movie is a reimagining of a 1992 classic that originally starred Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca De Mornay, Matt McCoy and Ernie Hudson. The original plot followed the wife of a Seattle obstetrician who dies by suicide after being accused of sexual misconduct. Devastated, she miscarries and later poses as a nanny for one of her late husband’s accusers, slowly infiltrating the family in an unsettling quest for revenge.

Suzanne Tenner

The Hulu remake gives the story a modern twist. Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera, it stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as an upscale suburban mom who hires a new nanny, played by Maika Monroe, only to realize her seemingly perfect caregiver isn’t who she claims to be.

As someone who hadn’t seen the original, I was totally on board after watching the trailer. But a quick scroll through Rotten Tomatoes made me pause—critics have the film sitting at 45 percent, while audience reviews dip even lower at 33 percent.

“Visually, it’s flat and bland. Dramatically, it’s inert and almost devoid of suspense,” one critic wrote. Another added, “You can’t blame the talented cast, but this awkward version is saddled with implausible twists and is just a shadow of the original.”

Others echoed similar sentiments, saying it “fails to succeed in any and every single way” and calling it “a drab contemporary remake that struggles to modernize its iconic source material.”

Still, not everyone hated it. A few fans came to the film’s defense, mostly praising the cast.

“Good movie and Maika Monroe is a A class star,” one viewer wrote. Another said, “Mary Elizabeth Winstead never disappoints. I’ve never seen the original and don’t plan to. This movie was made for me.” Someone else added, “Hulu’s new remake also maintains tension and features a masterful performance, this time by Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the mother.”

So, is the film really as bad as the internet says? Honestly, I’m intrigued enough to find out for myself. Whether it’s a miss or a misunderstood gem, this thriller clearly has people talking and streaming.

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is steaming now on Hulu.

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Danielle Long

Assistant Editor, News and Entertainment

Writes breaking news and entertainment content
Covers award show red carpets and movie premieres
Has earned two Edward R. Murrow Awards

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