The Front Room Review: A Flicker of Brilliance Amid the Mayhem

Tucked away in a creaky old mansion, strange events start to unfold once Solange moves into the home of expectant couple Belinda and Norman. Directed by brothers Max and Sam Eggers, The Front Room introduces us to Belinda, a professor struggling in her career while awaiting the arrival of her baby. Her husband Norman is a lawyer who seems ill-equipped to handle the threat that soon enters their lives in the form of his formidable stepmother Solange.

Played with chilling effect by veteran actress Kathryn Hunter, Solange presents herself as a deeply devout Christian woman in declining health. However, it soon becomes clear she harbors ulterior motives for inserting herself into Belinda and Norman’s world that have little to do with faith.

While marketed as a psychological horror, the film takes on more comedic and bizarre tones. Right away we see it’s not your average scary movie experience. There are unsettling elements to be found though, particularly in Hunter’s unnerving portrayal of a woman whose tight grip on the family dynamic tightens by the day. Director brothers Max and Sam Eggers keep viewers on their toes as the story plays with expectations around genre and narrative focus.

With a strong central cast led by the capable Brandy Norwood as Belinda, this offbeat tale proves an unconventional ride into themes of motherhood, aging, and the disruption an unwelcome guest can bring to a home. This review will examine the performances, explore what works and what falls flat, and unravel the unsettling implications buried beneath the strange surface.

The Elderly Intruder

We’re introduced to Belinda, a pregnant professor finding little job satisfaction, and her husband Norman, a lawyer wanting to focus on his work. They’re preparing for their new arrival when Norman’s father passes, forcing a reunion with his domineering stepmother, Solange.

Played with unsettling glee by Kathryn Hunter, Solange offers to pay off their house if they’ll take her in. Norman is wary of this woman who tormented his childhood, but with expenses mounting, Belinda accepts, uttering the fateful line, “How bad could she be?”.

And so the strange old woman moves her things into their front room. Right away, Solange’s true motives become clear: dominance over this home and family. She has Norman take time off to dote on her, overriding Belinda’s nursery plans. As a black woman, Belinda is already uncomfortable with Solange’s racist history. Her fears are justified, as Solange relishes dropping slurs and undermining Belinda any chance she gets.

Belinda soon gives birth via emergency c-section, further weakening her. Between caring for a newborn and dealing with Solange’s escalating insults and “accidents,”  she’s stretched thin. Solange delights in forcing Belinda to clean her messes, manipulating Norman’s absence. Belinda is no stranger to loss either, having endured a past miscarriage. Details The front room touches on too lightly.

Through it all, Hunter thrills in making Solange a creepy, looming figure hell-bent on breaking Belinda. But after struggles in her career and with motherhood, Belinda has shown she’s not one to crack so easily. Something seems to shift after facing Solange’s worst. Has this torment awakened a new defiant spirit in our leading lady, determined to take back power in her own home?

Bringing Horror to Life

What truly brings this strange story to its unsettling heights is the incredible work of its actors. At the top of her game is Kathryn Hunter as the disturbing Solange. My goodness, this woman is a force of nature. She invests Solange with raw, unhinged energy, making what could’ve been a cartoonish role into something creepily real.

You really feel Solange’s malice seeping from her pores. And the delicate way Hunter balances her over-the-top lines and actions with a sense of frail humanity? Chilling stuff. She holds every scene in her gnarled grasp.

Then it’s Brandy Norwood’s turn as the beleaguered Belinda. Going toe-to-toe with Hunter would be no easy task, but Norwood is up to the challenge. She breathes vulnerable complexity into Belinda, showing us a smart, proud woman pushed to her limits. Even in Belinda’s lowest moments, Norwood ensures we remain invested in her fight. Her steely resolve and subtle expressions kept me on the edge of my seat, hoping Belinda would overcome the threats stacked against her. If you were ever curious what Norwood could do in a meatier dramatic role, wonder no more—she crushes it.

As Norman, Andrew Burnap plays the character’s weaknesses a bit too safe, which is a shame since his character catalyzes much of the plot. Burnap comes off more like a wet blanket than a fully formed person. Which is really a missed opportunity, since exploring Norman’s psyche could have added compelling layers. Things did pick up when Norman was forced to confront Solange’s abuse from his past. But more emotional stakes from Burnap may have strengthened certain scenes.

Overall, if the film’s script and pacing had matched these powerhouse performances, The Front Room could have been a true horror masterpiece. But even with room for improvement elsewhere, the acting alone makes it well worth a view. These actors each leave it all on the line, and their intensity bolsters enjoyment of its most unsettling sequences. Fine performances can make or break a story—and in this case, the stars deliver saves.

Capturing the Creeps

You gotta hand it to the Eggers brothers; they know how to stir up unease. The cinematography by Ava Berkofsky has a knack for lingering in cramped, cluttered interiors that just drip with dread. Seriously, this creaky old house becomes nearly a character in its own right. Alongside on-point production design from Mary Lena Colston, the filming locations pull you deep into the tension.

Those early poop scenes are cringe-worthy in the best way too. But like a jumped scare losing its zing, the toilet humor risks becoming too repetitive. The montages comparing Solange’s childish antics to baby care duties? Now those artfully tap into thought-provoking themes without graphic images overstaying their welcome.

Some directorial indulgences don’t service the narrative quite as neatly. Extremely tight shots amplify the claustrophobia yet also strain logic at times. And while portentous needle drops suit the spooky ambiance, an unearned climax featuring blunt psycho homages feels tacked on.

Ultimately, the technical panache outshines flaws in storytelling cohesion. Scenes flow with artistic flair, whether suspenseful or absurd. But tightened editing could have smoothed bumps in pacing and plot development. All in all, these filmmakers display visual talent to watch; with time, their technical and narrative skills will likely achieve unison.

For now, The Front Room succeeds most in creating unsettling environments to get lost in. Even if the way there hits a few missteps, the creepy destination makes for an unforgettable trip.

Motherhood, Matriarchs, and Meaning Below the Surface

Under its unsettling depictions of bodily horrors, The Front Room hints at meatier themes around caregiving, control, and generational change. Both Belinda and Solange represent different stages of womanhood locked in a bizarre battle for dominance. Hunter unleashes Solange as the unhinged matriarch determined to rule her makeshift family, invading the nursery that marks Belinda’s new maternal ground.

Their conflict also explores the parallels between mothering an infant and the regression required in caring for aging loved ones. While the film fixates on liquid excretions, its most poignant moments juxtapose the demands of Solange and Belinda’s newborn through emotional montages. However, it only superficially taps into the racial and cultural tensions bubbling beneath the surface of their Southern Gothic setting.

Religion, as presented through Solange’s unhinged fanaticism, feels like an afterthought rather than an avenue for real drama. And the flick’s scattered jumps into Christian mysticism obscure its potential commentary. More psychological shading applied to deeper themes could have lifted The Front Room above gratuitous gross-outs.

But even with its entertaining failings, its stars deliver magnetic performances that merit discussion. Perhaps the film says more about the thanklessness yet intimacy of care work than any scripted message. When all else falls flat, The Front Room finds truth in depicting life’s unglamorous yet poignant realities behind closed doors.

Breakdowns and Breakthroughs

Kathryn Hunter alone is worth the price of admission. She sinks her claws into Solange in a way that’s both unsettling and hilarious. Scenes with this legendary actress hook you in despite any other issues. Some moments really zap too, like the emotional montages playing on motherhood parallels. It’s a testament to the Eggers’ clear visual flair.

But boy, does this movie struggle to pick a genre lane! Is it a horror, a comedy, a drama? It never commits fully to any one angle. The gratuitous shots of excrement get real old, real fast. And questionable flourishes like the distracting camerawork pull you out of the story. The jokes and jolts never fully gel as either.

The thin characters don’t help either. Outside the three leads, they’re lifeless. And those leads don’t get enough development! Belinda goes from doormat to warrior with no transition. Norwood and Hunter deserve better fleshed-out roles.

While ambitious in ideas exploring motherhood, aging, and race, it spreads itself too thin, actually delivering on those concepts. The narrative loses its way trying to stuff in too many high concepts.

All that said, you can feel the promise in its unpolished concept. With more focus on execution, these filmmakers could craft something truly unsettling. As their debut, it shows flashes of brilliance amid rough patches. With refinement, they may bring their visions to greater heights.

Overall, it’s an uneven experience. But the wins are engaging enough to make its frustrations forgivable for genre fans seeking something offbeat.

Breaking Through the Mess

While The Front Room stumbles in its storytelling, it still shines in key ways. Kathryn Hunter gives the performance of a lifetime as the wicked Solange. And the unsettling atmosphere sucked me right into that creepy old house from the get-go.

But man, this film could’ve been so much more if it got out of its own way. The narrative is all over the place, and it leans too hard on gross-out gags over exploring its interesting ideas. Such a bummer, since you can feel the potential underneath.

If you’re mainly looking forward to seeing horror greats like Hunter or Norwood flex their talents, their powerful work here delivers that for sure. Just don’t expect coherent plots or deep themes. It’s readable more as an acting showcase than a fully-formed narrative.

I admire Max and Sam Eggers swinging for the fences in their debut. With experience, they’ll channel their clear visual talent into tighter scripts. For now, it’s an uneven watch, but one still worth taking a chance on. You never know—it could be the kind of mess that sticks with you!

Either way, I’m eager to see where these director brothers’ careers lead them. If their next offering cleans up the storytelling, they could really break through to the next level. For now, I’ll remember The Front Room most for its compelling central performances.