The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

Suburban life tightens around a newborn when Caitlin and Miguel hire Polly to care for their baby. Polly arrives as a warm, capable presence, a confident caregiver who fits into the routine with ease. Yet the atmosphere around the house grows tense as tiny moments reveal a more dangerous plan behind the lullabies and smiles. The film tracks the couple's uneasy reliance on a stranger, the shifts in trust, and the quiet, creeping threat that seeps into a home that should feel safe. The suspense hinges on what remains unseen and the uneasy balance between protection and control, as everyday comforts suddenly feel precarious and unpredictable. As the story unfolds, we sense the cracks in the couple's marriage widen as decisions about the baby's safety become a battleground.

Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera, the film released in 2025 to genre audiences and festival circuits. The screenplay is by Amanda Silver and Micah Bloomberg, rooted in an original concept that leans into domestic unease rather than adapting a work.

The movie has drawn mixed notices, with a 5.73 out of 10 from 152 votes signaling a divided reaction among viewers. It leans into themes of trust, vulnerability, and control within domestic life, while layering the tension of what a caregiver can quietly alter in a home.

As of now there are no major awards announced for the film, though critics have praised the performances of Maika Monroe and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and have highlighted the movie's taut pacing and unsettling atmosphere. Awards chatter could grow if the release widens or gains festival attention.

Early conversations suggest the title taps into familiar caregiver tropes and suburban anxieties, prompting discussions about power, boundaries, disclosures, and parental protection. It remains to be seen how much cultural impact it will have, but the premise already sparks lively online debate and raises questions about trust in modern households.