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Maternal Instinct

Play trailer Poster for Maternal Instinct 2026 1h 36m Documentary Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 9 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
A Texas state trooper pulls over a woman claiming she just gave birth, but an investigation exposes a criminal case.
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Maternal Instinct

Critics Reviews

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John Anderson Wall Street Journal Jun 12
Ms. Dimmock, by doling out Parker’s pathological lies and absurd deceptions in modest doses, accomplishes two strategic things -- momentum and controlled toxicity. Go to Full Review
Carla Hay Culture Mix Jun 23
Maternal Instinct gives a basic overview instead of a comprehensive examination of the 2020 murders of Reagan Hancock and her unborn daughter Braxlynn. The documentary has many interviews but omits a lot details about Hancock, the killer, and the trial. Go to Full Review
Tatat Bunnag Bangkok Post Jun 23
Deeply harrowing and emotionally exhausting, it grabs hold of you from the very beginning and refuses to let go. Go to Full Review
Dustin Rowles Pajiba Jun 18
I was left absolutely gobsmacked. GOBSMACKED. Jaw-on-the-floor, what-the-absolute-hell-did-I-just-watch gobsmacked. Go to Full Review
Belen Prieto Espinof Jun 17
4/5
Maternal Instinct is one of those Netflix documentaries that starts out as simply another true crime film in the platform's already saturated catalog, but soon transforms into something far more disturbing. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Joey Moser The Contending Jun 17
It will sicken you, shock you, and frighten you. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Kai C @RT12479574 3d Really good documentary with a crazy twist! See more Paulina R @RT37892359 4d The fact that Netflix posted it when you can clearly see absurd dogs. How could you even promote that? Animals abuse ? What is wrong with you people? Those dogs that guy Wade owns are in a horrible condition. This needs to be reported See more TheMovieSearch R @TheMovieSearch 4d Maternal Instinct is one of the most disturbing true crime documentaries I have watched in a long time. The series follows the horrifying true story of a woman who faked a pregnancy as part of a calculated plan to murder an expectant mother and steal her baby. Knowing these events actually happened makes every moment even more shocking. What impressed me most is how well the documentary is presented. It carefully walks through the investigation and the timeline without relying on unnecessary dramatics. The facts alone are horrifying enough to keep you completely invested. The emotional impact is what lingers long after the credits roll. As more details are revealed, the story becomes increasingly heartbreaking and almost impossible to comprehend because of how cruel the crime was. Overall, Maternal Instinct is a gripping, well-produced, and unforgettable documentary. It is not an easy watch because of its disturbing subject matter See more Yash B @yashbansal 6d It is difficult to see what direction "Maternal Instinct" is going for a lot of it, but I suppose that is also what makes it an interesting watch. I am not an avid Netflix documentary watcher, but this one caught my attention, and I went into it blind. I felt the story and outcome were really saddening, and it does have that uneasy feeling that stories like this illicit. I do feel pacing-wise there is a lot of setup here, and I wasn't that engaged by watching this at first. Overall, it is an okay presentation of an awful crime that has moments that are chilling and memorable. See more Scott M @Skeeeeezo Jun 27 An average storytelling of an inconscienable crime. See more Dave P @RT77480603 Jun 25 This is more terrifying than most horror films. Fantastic decision by the director to cover this case strictly from the perspective of the victims and their families. See more Read all reviews
Maternal Instinct

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Movie Info

Synopsis A Texas state trooper pulls over a woman claiming she just gave birth, but an investigation exposes a criminal case.
Director
Jessica Dimmock
Producer
Joshua Levine, Jon Bardin
Distributor
Netflix
Genre
Documentary, Crime
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 12, 2026
Runtime
1h 36m