A lurid true-crime documentary built around a jaw-dropping premise and a deeply disturbing central figure. It seems to deliver the kind of compulsive, outrage-fueled viewing that true-crime audiences chase, but the response suggests some frustration with repetition, shallow context, and the film’s sensational… Read more
31% ★★☆☆☆ (63,746)
Maternal Instinct
Where to watch: In Theaters
Movie · Documentary · Crime · R
2026 · 1h 37m · ★ 31% (64K)
Director: Jessica Dimmock
Overview
Police pull over a woman who claims she just gave birth. But the baby — and the blood — aren't hers. Twisted lies unravel in this true-crime documentary.
Director
Jessica Dimmock
Production
Story Syndicate
Where to watch
Netflix
Curator Review
Verdict
A lurid true-crime documentary built around a jaw-dropping premise and a deeply disturbing central figure. It seems to deliver the kind of compulsive, outrage-fueled viewing that true-crime audiences chase, but the response suggests some frustration with repetition, shallow context, and the film’s sensational title/tone.
Best for
true-crime viewers who like shocking, twist-heavy cases
audiences drawn to stories about deception, aliases, and criminal psychology
viewers who enjoy fast-moving, conversation-starting documentaries
Skip if
you want a rigorously investigative or deeply contextual documentary
you’re sensitive to exploitative framing around motherhood, pregnancy, or child harm
you dislike sensational true-crime storytelling or morally exhausting subject matter
Overview
This is the kind of true-crime documentary that lands like a tabloid headline you can’t stop reading. The premise alone does most of the work: a woman pulled over after claiming she has just given birth, with the baby and blood not belonging to her, is an instant hook, and the film appears to lean hard into the escalating absurdity and horror of the case.
Worth noting
What makes it effective is the sheer disbelief factor. The popular reaction suggests a story full of lies, aliases, and baffling decisions, with the central figure coming across as both monstrous and bizarrely self-defeating. That makes it compulsive viewing, even when the documentary’s own structure may not fully satisfy viewers who want more forensic depth.
Bottom line
The downside is that the film’s sensationalism may undercut its seriousness. Some viewers seem to want more context and less emphasis on the shock value, and the title itself invites criticism for its tone-deafness. If you’re here for a grim, twisty crime story with a lot of “how did this happen?” energy, it should work; if you want a more measured investigative documentary, it may feel thin.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Joe From Create/Context · 3276 likes
On top of everything else, this woman took atrocious wedding photos
amy_walker34 (4★) · 3238 likes
“For a demon like Taylor, Hell would be easy” DAMN
𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓮 🎬 · 2242 likes
I knew she was going to do something bad but not that bad. What the actual fuck
Nat ♡ (2★) · 1843 likes
"Maternal instinct" is a terrible title for this. It's in very bad taste. Not to mention that she had two children she didn't care about at all.
RedElephants 🦕 (3★) · 1494 likes
Imagine doing all that for a man who doesn’t even love you