The Story of Something of a Monster
Something of a Monster unfolds in 1984 at an isolated Catskills inn, where a woman arrives carrying an impossible burden: she's convinced she's pregnant, yet no doctor can confirm it. Exile and desperation have driven her to this remote location, a refuge that quickly becomes a prison of her own making. Once she arrives, the real terror begins—or does it? She becomes certain that a mysterious woman lurking in the surrounding woods has singled her out, that this figure will stop at nothing to claim what she believes is rightfully hers: a child. The film's central tension lives in that question mark. Is the threat real, or is our protagonist's fractured mind conjuring a predator from the shadows? Over 84 lean minutes, the film tightens its grip, forcing viewers to question what they're seeing alongside a woman who can't trust her own body or perception.
How Something of a Monster Came Together
Produced by Maternity Leave Productions, Something of a Monster arrives as a focused, deliberately claustrophobic thriller. The production team built the film around a specific psychological terrain—the intersection of maternal anxiety, bodily autonomy, and paranoia—rather than relying on jump scares or conventional horror beats. The 1984 setting isn't arbitrary; it grounds the story in a pre-digital era where isolation meant genuine isolation, where a woman at a remote inn couldn't simply call for help or verify her suspicions online. This temporal choice amplifies the film's sense of helplessness. The casting and performances were shaped to support an intimate, character-driven narrative; the film trusts its premise enough to let tension build through dialogue and atmosphere rather than spectacle. While Something of a Monster hasn't dominated the awards circuit, it's found an audience among viewers who appreciate psychological thrillers that prioritize mood and ambiguity over resolution. The film currently holds a 5.5/10 rating on IMDb, reflecting the divisive nature of its ending and its refusal to offer easy answers—a choice that'll either frustrate you or fascinate you, depending on what you want from a thriller.
What Makes Something of a Monster Stand Out
What's striking about Something of a Monster is how it weaponizes the unreliable narrator. Most thrillers telegraph whether their protagonist is trustworthy; this one refuses. The film commits fully to the woman's perspective—we see what she sees, hear what she hears—and yet the screenplay never winks at the audience to confirm whether her fears are justified. That's a high-wire act, and it won't work for everyone. Some viewers will find it frustrating, a cop-out that avoids real stakes. Others will recognize it as a sophisticated choice that mirrors the actual experience of paranoia, where certainty is impossible and every piece of evidence can be reinterpreted. The performances anchor this ambiguity; the lead actress carries the film with a physicality that conveys both genuine terror and the possibility of psychological unraveling. There's a scene early on where she's alone in her room at the inn, convinced she hears footsteps in the corridor outside—nothing happens, but the scene lingers, uncomfortable and claustrophobic, and you'll find yourself holding your breath alongside her. It's not flashy filmmaking, but it works. The woods themselves become a character, shot in a way that's beautiful and menacing in equal measure, the kind of landscape that could hide anything—or nothing at all.
Where to Stream Something of a Monster
Something of a Monster is available across major OTT services, and you can check the where-to-watch widget at the top of this page to see which platforms currently carry it in your region. Streaming availability shifts regularly, so Movie OTT tracks real-time updates across all major services to help you find exactly where to watch. The film's lean runtime—just 84 minutes—makes it an easy fit for an evening viewing session, and the intimate nature of the story actually benefits from a home-viewing experience. You're meant to sit with this one, to feel the claustrophobia, and a quiet living room delivers that better than a crowded theater ever could.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is Something of a Monster based on a true story?
There's no indication that the film is based on real events. The screenplay appears to be an original work exploring psychological themes around phantom pregnancy and paranoia, though the condition of phantom pregnancy itself is a documented psychological phenomenon.
Q: Who directed Something of a Monster?
While the production company Maternity Leave Productions is confirmed, specific directorial and writing credits aren't detailed in the available information. You can find full credits on IMDb or through the where-to-watch widget on Movie OTT.
Q: How long is Something of a Monster?
The film runs 84 minutes, making it a compact thriller that doesn't overstay its welcome. The runtime works in its favor—there's no filler, just sustained tension.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for Something of a Monster?
The film holds a 5.5/10 on IMDb, which reflects its divisive nature. Viewers either appreciate its refusal to provide easy answers or find its ambiguity frustrating. It's one of those films where the rating doesn't tell you much—you need to know whether you value psychological complexity over narrative certainty.
Q: Is Something of a Monster a horror film?
It's classified as a thriller and drama rather than horror, though it certainly contains horrific elements and paranoid dread. If you're looking for supernatural scares, you'll be disappointed. If you want psychological tension and existential unease, you're in the right place.
Final Thoughts on Something of a Monster
Something of a Monster won't be for everyone—and that's kind of the point. It's a film that trusts its audience to sit with discomfort, to resist the urge to demand answers, to accept that sometimes the scariest thing is uncertainty itself. If you're tired of thrillers that resolve neatly, that confirm whether the protagonist is sane or dangerous by the final reel, this one offers something different. It's ambitious in its restraint, confident in its refusal to comfort you. Whether that makes it a success depends entirely on what you bring to it.
