A24 has become largely known for their work in the indie horror sphere, with everything from the psychological chiller Hereditary to the more directly supernatural Talk to Me. The studio has also made a reputation for frequently collaborating with certain filmmakers, including Robert Eggers on his first two projects, The Witch and The Lighthouse. Now, the studio has sought to expand that to Eggers’ filmmaking siblings, Max and Sam Eggers, with the absurdist psychological horror The Front Room, which unfortunately doesn’t make the same impact.
Loosely based on Susan Hill’s short story, The Front Room stars Brandy in her horror genre return as Belinda, a pregnant woman still grieving the loss of her firstborn son and haunted by nightmarish visions while sleepwalking. As her due date draws near, her husband, Norman, learns his father has died from stomach cancer, forcing him to reconcile with his abusive childhood at the hands of stepmother Solange. When his father’s will leaves the young couple everything on the condition Solange lives with them, Norman reluctantly relents, resulting in a descent into madness for all of them.
The Front Room’s Premise Starts Familiar & Ends The Same Way
There’s Very Little Actually Separating It From Similar Genre Titles
For those familiar with the horror genre, The Front Room‘s plot description might sound pretty familiar, and that’s because it unfortunately is — from its evil grandma storyline being reminiscent of Ari Aster’s Hereditary to the newborn story playing out similarly to The First Omen and even A24’s own False Positive. While pregnancy will always be a topic rife with thematic potential, the unfortunate thing about this movie is that it doesn’t even necessarily do anything new in regard to tackling the importance of a mother’s love or the trials and tribulations women endure during pregnancy.
The other issue with this is that there are a number of storylines that ultimately feel overlooked or forgotten about as the movie progresses.
Instead, the Eggers brothers look to build intrigue and suspense through Kathryn Hunter’s Solange and her bizarre behavior, which does somewhat work in The Front Room‘s favor. There’s clearly meant to be a parallel between caring for the elderly, ailing stepmother-in-law and caring for a newborn baby, whether it’s Solange having “accidents” that Belinda and Norman have to clean up, or consistently calling for help, when she really is just looking for attention.
The other issue with this is there are a number of storylines that ultimately feel overlooked or forgotten about as the movie progresses. There are very quick allusions made to Belinda and Norman’s firstborn son, Wallace, though there’s very little information given as to how and when he passed away, or how the impending arrival of their new baby may be impacting their emotional state. Additionally, The Front Room often touts Solange as having potentially supernatural abilities or being part of some cult, only for this to never really be explored or given any answer.
The Eggers Brothers’ Direction Is Certainly Great Visually
Their Script, On The Other Hand, Needed A Lot Of Work
While it may be a smaller-scale movie compared to those of Robert’s, Sam and Max Eggers did an excellent job of at least making The Front Room look fantastic. Teamed with Insecure cinematographer Ava Berkofsky, the trio find unique ways to make the house feel bigger and different with every passing moment. While this is partly thanks to the fact that the longer Solange stays in the house, the more she brings change to it, the team still make this evolution feel just as subtly effective as the more overtly surreal visions Belinda experiences.
Unfortunately, the Eggers’ direction can’t overcome their underwhelming script. The duo attempt to raise meaningful points about racism, religious abuse and generational childhood trauma, but it never feels like it goes deep enough to be anything more than just a general sense of tension and absurd humor. The same can be said about just how much the movie focuses on Solange’s frequent issues with incontinence, ultimately feeling like a desire to work in some scatological humor into the movie rather than offer anything meaningful.
Kathryn Hunter’s Masterful Performance Can Only Carry The Movie So Far
Brandy Delivers One Of Her Best Turns Yet, Though Is Still Only Decent
In spite of its base plot and script issues, The Front Room‘s cast do their best to keep the material elevated, and it’s Kathryn Hunter who is the true MVP of the film. She truly holds nothing back in playing Solange, whether it’s her childish antics, or her seemingly sincere cries of anguish and ignorant microaggressions directed at Belinda. Even from the first moments, it’s amazing to watch how she brings her history of physical theater into her performance in a way that feels true to the character’s absurdity.
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Brandy, on the other hand, proves to be something of a mixed bag with her performance. It certainly proves to be one of the best of her career, particularly with regard to the horror genre, and yet some moments still feel like she’s holding herself back rather than fully letting loose as Belinda, even in some of her more intense moments. Even still, it’s ultimately Hunter and Brandy’s performances that keep The Front Room from feeling like a complete missed opportunity and an occasionally engaging watch.
The Front Room is now available to stream on Max.
- Kathryn Hunter is an absolute treat as the villainous stepmother-in-law.
- Brandy delivers one of her best turns yet.
- There are some visually intriguing decisions and sequences.
- The plot never does anything to feel new.
- The script doesn’t feel all that deep and has a bizarre focus on scatological humor.