When the Bough Breaks

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When the Bough Breaks

PG-13

2016

1h 42m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

12%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

45%

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5,000+ Ratings

Young, professional and successful, John and Laura (Regina Hall) Taylor desperately want to have a baby, but are unable to conceive. After exhausting all other options, the couple hire Anna, a beautiful young woman who agrees to become a surrogate mother for the Taylors. Everything seems fine until Anna starts to develop a dangerous fixation with John as the pregnancy moves further along. The Taylors now find themselves playing a deadly game with a psychopath who holds the key to their future.

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Critics Consensus

Shallow, clichéd, and silly instead of suspenseful, When the Bough Breaks offers nothing domestic thriller fans haven't already seen before -- and done far better.

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K. Austin Collins

The Ringer

Give us a When the Bough Breaks with smarter direction.

Aug 10, 2017

Full Review

Josh Kupecki

Austin Chronicle

A neutered, paint-by-numbers snoozefest.

Rated: 1/5

Sep 15, 2016

Full Review

Sheri Linden

The Hollywood Reporter

A lazily written and generically directed Fatal Attraction knockoff.

Sep 10, 2016

Full Review

Andrew Galdi

Movie Bitches

It was incredibly boring.

May 6, 2020

Full Review

Avaryl Halley

Movie Bitches

This could've been so much more interesting. It really could have.

May 6, 2020

Full Review

Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

The worst kind of thriller -- one where seemingly smart people keep doing dumb things over and over and over.

Rated: F

Jan 15, 2019

Full Review

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Liam D

Easily one of the most generic thrillers I’ve ever seen that is part of a studio’s factory of movies that feels direct to DVD with bland direction by Emmy winner Jon Cassar (Terra Nova, Human Target) and a cast that is talented but aren’t trying in this film

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/14/25

Full Review

John G

Diction of the actors is appalling. Both the leads do not speak clearly so the story is difficult to follow. Gave up after half an hour

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

Full Review

Markman T

Morris chestnut is sexy as hell

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Plotline was fair enough, but has been done before so many times. Acting wasn't terrible, but it felt like a USA daytime tv movie. The script was so bad, the action even worse, the story horrendous. I went onto Netflix looking for a good thriller, the summary drew me in, but the film itself was awful. Do not watch, waste of 2+ hours.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/25

Full Review

Martin W

Critics are wrong! I found movie to be suspenseful, provocative, thrilling and anything but predictable. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/16/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Script lacking…. I wanted to be on the edge of my seat but didn’t happen

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/18/22

Full Review

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Jon Cassar

Director

Morris Chestnut

John Taylor

Regina Hall

Laura Taylor

Romany Malco

Todd Decker

Michael Kenneth Williams

Roland White

Glenn Morshower

Martin Cooper

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When the Bough Breaks: Trailer 2

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When the Bough Breaks: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Young, professional and successful, John and Laura (Regina Hall) Taylor desperately want to have a baby, but are unable to conceive. After exhausting all other options, the couple hire Anna, a beautiful young woman who agrees to become a surrogate mother for the Taylors. Everything seems fine until Anna starts to develop a dangerous fixation with John as the pregnancy moves further along. The Taylors now find themselves playing a deadly game with a psychopath who holds the key to their future.

Director: Jon Cassar
Producer: Robert Shaye, Michael Lynne
Screenwriter: Jack Olsen
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Unique Features
Rating: PG-13 (Sexuality/Partial Nudity|Language|Some Disturbing Images|Thematic Elements|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 9, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $29.7M
Runtime: 1h 42m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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