Renowned actress Octavia Spencer has built up an impressive resume of cinematic projects throughout her career, and with success in films like The Help catapulting her to permanent Hollywood stardom, it was great to see her return to her horror roots a few years ago with 2019’s psychological horror/thriller Ma.
Directed by Tate Taylor, Spencer stars as Sue Ann Ellington, a lonely and isolated middle-aged woman who’s desperate for some new friends to bond with. The only problem is that her new buddies are teenagers who just want to smoke and drink in her basement without their parents interfering. But Sue Ann’s desperation for friends borders on obsessive, and she quickly makes the teens uncomfortable by following them around town and begging for them to return to her basement each day.
Despite Spencer’s standout performance as Sue Ann, critics were split down the middle, denouncing its pacing and that it fails to live up to its full horror potential. However, while the film currently boasts a less-than-favorable score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes, Ma achieved moderate success at the box office by grossing over $60 million against a budget of just $5 million.
As it turns out, eagle-eyed Netflix subscribers are also fans of Spencer’s performance. As per FlixPatrol, the psychological thriller has jumped several spots ahead and found itself on Netflix’s most-watched list this week. And with the possibility of a sequel on the horizon, this likely won’t be the last time Ma makes friends with the streaming charts.