Ma

When actress Octavia Spencer and director Tate Taylor teamed up on opposite sides of the camera seven years ago, The Help won an Oscar. Their latest collaboration, Ma, harbors no such ambitions.

At least the longtime friends bring a playful irreverence to an otherwise disposable psychological thriller about the lingering effects of teenage bullying on the social fabric of a small town.

That’s probably giving more credit than necessary for this story of rambunctious high schoolers and their naïve pursuit of partying. That’s what leads a handful of friends to ask a favor of veterinary assistant Sue Ann (Spencer) — to buy them some liquor for a night of mischief.

The occasion allows introverted newcomer Maggie (Diana Silvers) to become one of the cool kids, and develop a crush on handsome classmate Andy (Corey Fogelmanis). Eventually, Sue Ann invites the students to use her basement — she lives in the woods just outside of town, of course — as their party zone, becoming a den mother of sorts.

They barely stop to question her motives, or learn the story of her past, when Sue Ann was a social outcast and the victim of a humiliating prank as a teenager, as we see via flashbacks. Among her tormenters were Andy’s dad (Luke Evans) and Maggie’s mom (Juliette Lewis), a recent divorcee who relocated with Maggie to her hometown to start over.

From there, the film plays out as a revenge fantasy for Sue Ann, who adopts the titular nickname from the youngsters prior to her stalking them on social media and obsessing over fitting into their social circle with her outrageously generous hospitality.

Rookie screenwriter Scotty Landes (TV’s “Workaholics”) finds the twisted sense of humor to supplement his unsettling concept, even if it never generates consistent suspense.

Instead, we’re left to count down to the moment when either the teens start to connect the dots, or when Sue Ann’s behavior spills over into sociopathic mayhem. There’s one significant twist along the way that’s hardly enough to offset the predictability.

Spencer seems to have fun with a rare villainous role, and there’s a certain amusement in seeing her outwit the kids instead of providing the suggested parental guidance. But any such pleasures are short-lived, and sitting through Ma becomes a real mother.

Rated R, 99 minutes.