Don't Tell Dad Mom's a Serial Killer
31 Days of Movies for Spooky Season
Welcome back to Spooktober, dear readers! Day 11’s movie is a dark comedy that keeps the 90s nostalgia vibes going from yesterday’s movie, Scream.
Title: Serial Mom
Directed By: John Waters
Release Date: April 13, 1994
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Youtube, & Apple TV
Synopsis: Happy housewife Beverly Sutphin has a charmed life - a beautiful suburban home, a successful dentist husband, and two normal teenagers. However, when one of her son's teachers speaks disparagingly of her son at a parent-teacher conference, suddenly, she has an insatiable taste for murder.
Non-spoiler thoughts: If you need something less spooky but still has tons of dark comedy, this is the one! The horror comedy genre is one of my favorite palette cleansers. A 90s housewife turned serial killer? What more could you want? Scream fans will also enjoy seeing Matthew Lillard as Chip, a horror-loving teen who works at their local video store. We can’t miss mentioning the iconic Ricki Lake, as she plays Misty, Chip’s sister. Watch the Sutphin kids discover and help expose their mother as a serial killer.
WARNING: The following summary contains SPOILERS.
You have been warned…
Beverly Sutphin appears to be an unassuming upper-middle-class housewife living with her dentist husband, Eugene, and their teenage children, Misty and Chip, in Towson, Maryland. However, she secretly harbors a dark identity as a serial killer, targeting individuals over trivial slights or offenses.
One morning, detectives Pike and Gracey question the family regarding the vulgar telephone harassment of their neighbor, Dottie Hinkle. It is soon revealed that Beverly is the perpetrator, acting out of anger after Dottie took a parking space from her. Later that day, at a PTA meeting, math teacher Paul Stubbins criticizes Chip's interest in horror films. In retaliation, Beverly runs him over with her car. Subsequently, Misty is devastated when Carl Pageant stands her up for a date. Beverly spots Carl with another girl at a swap meet and fatally stabs him with a fire poker.
Eugene discovers Beverly's collection of serial killer memorabilia hidden beneath their mattress, which includes recordings from Ted Bundy during the week of his execution. During dinner that evening, Chip shares his friend Scotty's suspicions about Beverly being the killer. At this point, Beverly leaves the table, causing the family to fear she intends to eliminate Scotty to silence him.
They quickly drive to Scotty's house, but Beverly has her own plans: she aims to kill Ralph and Betty Sterner for calling Eugene to treat Ralph's toothache on a day that he and Beverly had planned for birdwatching. Upset by their criticism of Eugene's requests for perfect dental health, Beverly stabs Betty with scissors borrowed from Rosemary Ackerman and pushes an air conditioner out of their window onto Ralph. When the rest of the family and the police arrive at Scotty's house, they find him engaged in a private moment while watching an adult movie.
On Sunday, police follow the Sutphins to church, where Beverly has become the prime suspect in the Sterners' murders. The service abruptly ends in panic when Beverly sneezes, allowing her to escape amidst the chaos as the police attempt to arrest her. She hides in the video store where Chip works, later following Mrs. Jenson home and fatally striking her with a leg of lamb after she refuses to rewind rented videotapes and insults Chip for fining her. Scotty witnesses the attack nearby, but Beverly discovers him and gives chase, ultimately immolating him during a rock concert. The Sutphin family arrives just as Beverly is arrested.
Beverly's trial becomes a media sensation. Her lawyer claims she is not guilty by reason of insanity but is quickly dismissed when Beverly insists on defending herself. She proves to be a formidable opponent, systematically discrediting every witness against her by exploiting their own flaws or casting doubt on their testimony. The one witness who actually saw her commit a crime is too high to provide credible evidence. The courtroom is further distracted by the arrival of Suzanne Somers, who has been cast as Beverly in a television film.
Ultimately, Beverly is acquitted of all charges. She expresses disdain for a juror who wears white shoes after Labor Day and follows her to a payphone alcove, fatally striking her with the receiver. Somers provokes Beverly into an outburst during a photo opportunity, leading to the discovery of the juror's body. Beverly gives Somers a knowing look, suggesting that she may now be in prison but remains a threat.
