The Front Room is like a sitcom if a horror movie invaded it. The audience doesn’t always know if they should be experiencing dread or laughter, which seems intentional. The writers/directors are Sam and Max Eggers, the latter of whom previously co-wrote The Lighthouse with their brother Robert. Where The Lighthouse had echoes of The Odd Couple, The Front Room leans even more into sitcom territory. Instead of mismatched roommates, the central trope here is the overbearing mother-in-law. Of course, this film’s antagonist makes Marie Barone look like the ideal relative.
Brandy Norwood – credited by her full name – has been making an acting comeback as of late. She takes center stage in The Front Room as Belinda, an out-of-work educator with a baby on the way. Her husband Norman (Andrew Burnap) is a lawyer, although he’s still a promotion away from financial stability. When Norman’s father dies, Belinda meets his Southern stepmother Solange (Kathryn Hunter). Norman recounts how Solange tormented him as a child, enforcing her strict religious beliefs. Solange has seemingly turned over a new leaf, offering to give Norman and Belinda every cent she has. All Solange asks is that they allow her to come live with them.
Despite Norman’s apprehension, Belinda convinces him that they need the money. It doesn’t take long for Belinda to regret her decision as Solange marks her territory. We’re used to seeing Brandy play wholesome characters like Cinderella. Even in other horror movies like I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, she was the source of innocence. She gets to play against type as a woman who’s essentially good, but is pushed to her limits as Solange becomes increasingly insufferable. While Brandy is fine here, the film could’ve used an actress more prone to cynicism. The real star here is Hunter, who has popped up in everything from Harry Potter, to Star Wars, to Poor Things. She’s such a physical chameleon, though, that you rarely recognize her.
Hunter gives what might be her most transformative screen performance with a most usual Southern accent and Muppet-esque body language. Hunter has a ball playing a truly reprehensible houseguest from hell. At times, maybe she does her job too well. By the third defecation scene, you wish Belinda and Norman would throw this step-momma from the train already. Norman can also be a bit of a dweeb. Out of nowhere, he starts coming to Solange’s defense on several matters, undermining Belinda. Initially, it looks like he might be under Solange’s spell. The film occasionally calls Rosemary’s Baby to mind with Hunter channeling Ruth Gordon’s Oscar-winning role. The Front Room doesn’t take that route, however.
Those expecting a straightforward horror film might be caught off guard by how far The Front Room strays. The Eggers do keep the film grounded in horror with Ava Berkofsky’s hypnotic cinematography and several disturbing images. Yet, the film’s comedic undertones shine through in Marcelo Zarvos’ playful musical score, which sounds like something out of a classic sci-fi B-movie. It builds to an ending that many will find anticlimactic, but leaves us with some satisfaction. While the experience is inclined to be divisive, most will agree that Hunter is a star. She’s either created a horror icon or a gross-out comedy icon in Solange. Whether you piss your pants from terror or laughter, bring Pampers (adult-sized).