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Serial Mom is a 1994 American satirical film black comedy crime film directed and written by John Waters and starring Kathleen Turner as the title character along with Sam Waterston, Ricki Lake, and Suzanne Somers. It tells the story of a housewife who murders people over trivial slights or offenses.
Serial Mom was released theatrically in the United States on April 13, 1994, to mixed reviews from critics and grossed nearly $8 million. The film has since become a
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One morning, detectives Pike and Gracey question the family about the vulgar telephone harassment of their neighbor, Dottie Hinkle. It is later revealed that Beverly is the perpetrator, and began harassing Dottie after she took a parking space from Beverly. Later that day, Beverly vengefully runs over Chip's math teacher, Mr. Stubbins, with her car after he condemns Chip's interest in horror films at a PTA meeting. Later, Misty is upset when her crush, Carl, stands her up for a date. Beverly spots Carl with another girl at a Flea market and fatally stabs him with a fire poker.
Eugene discovers serial killer memorabilia beneath his and Beverly's mattress, which includes recordings from Ted Bundy in the week of his execution. During dinner that evening, Chip mentions his friend Scotty's suspicions about Beverly being the killer. Beverly leaves, leaving the family afraid that she intends to kill Scotty in order to silence him. They race to Scotty's house; Beverly, however, intends to kill Ralph and Betty Sterner, a couple who had called Eugene to treat the former's toothache on a day Eugene and Beverly planned to spend birdwatching. She stabs Betty with scissors and pushes an air conditioner from the window onto Ralph. The rest of the family and the police arrive at Scotty's house, only to find him masturbating to a porn film.
Police follow the Sutphins to church on that Sunday as Beverly is named as the prime suspect in the Sterners' murders. The service abruptly ends when everyone flees in panic after Beverly sneezes; in the confusion, Beverly escapes as police attempt to arrest her. She hides at the video store where Chip is employed. Chip encounters regular customer Mrs. Jenson and fines her for neglecting to rewind her rented videotapes before returning them, whereupon she insults him. Beverly follows her home and fatally strikes her with a leg of lamb as she watches Annie. Scotty witnesses the attack nearby, but Beverly discovers him and gives chase, eventually concluding at Hammerjacks Beverly immolates Scotty during a rock concert. The Sutphins arrive as Beverly is arrested.
Beverly's trial becomes a media sensation. Beverly's lawyer claims that she is not guilty by reason of insanity, but is promptly dismissed when Beverly asks to defend herself. Beverly proves to be formidable when she systematically discredits every witness against her by exploiting their own vices or otherwise casting doubt on their testimony. Luann Hodges, the only witness who actually saw her commit a crime, is intoxicated and thus unable to provide credible testimony. The courtroom is distracted by the arrival of Suzanne Somers, who has been cast as Beverly in a television film.
Beverly is acquitted of all charges. She expresses contempt for juror #8 for wearing white shoes after Labor Day. Beverly follows her to a payphone alcove and fatally strikes her with the receiver. Somers angers Beverly into an outburst while attempting to pose for a photo op. The juror's body is then discovered and Beverly gives Somers a knowing look.
A postscript states that Beverly Sutphin refused to cooperate with the making of this film.
Films by Waters' creative influences, including Doris Wishman, Otto Preminger, William Castle, and Herschell Gordon Lewis, are seen playing on television sets throughout the film.
The audio for Ted Bundy in one of Beverly's correspondences with the jailed killer is the voice of Waters.
Other critics were more enthusiastic about the film and Turner's performance. Time Out said the film boasts "an uproariously funny, marvellously malicious performance from Turner", and Peter Rainer of the Los Angeles Times called Turner "furiously funny". Rainer described the film as "a jab at the supposed uplift provided by 'wholesome' TV shows and movies. With all the ruckus raised in the media about the harmful effects of on-screen violence and sex, Serial Mom weighs in for the other side: It implies that it's the antiseptic family entertainments that may have done us the real harm. The real nut cases in the movie aren't the hormonally inflamed teenagers and avenging matriarchs. It's the suburban Baltimore do-gooders, the upright judges and deaconsyou know, the pillars of society." Critics also lauded the satirization of America's obsession with true crime and celebrity, such as when Beverly's daughter, Misty, is seen selling T-shirts outside the courthouse where her mother's fate will be decided, and a joke disclaimer at the beginning falsely claiming the film's events are "based on a true story". In 2008, Slant Magazine critic Eric Henderson called Serial Mom "the strongest film of the post-Midnight movie chapter of John Waters's career."
Later reviews suggested that the trial in Serial Mom presaged the media coverage of the 1995 murder trial of O. J. Simpson.
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