The Front Room (2024)

​"The Front Room" stars Brandy Norwood, Andrew Burnap, Neal Huff, and Kathryn Hunter.  Released on September 6, 2024, the film has a newly pregnant woman discovering an estranged stepmother's haunting secret.

The film featured the directorial debut of Max and Sam Eggers, known for their collaboration with their brother Robert Eggers on "The Witch" and "The Lighthouse".  It is based on the short story by Susan Hill.  We all have that one member of the family who's not in their right mind.  Some were just for giving us some chuckles, while others made us feel concerned for their wellbeing.  Then, there's one who reminds us not to invite them over to our next family reunion.  Betelgeuse has got some competition in providing early frights to audiences this weekend: an elderly stepmother with dark religious beliefs.  This latest psychological horror movie is aimed at an older audience compared to the family-friendly "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice".  But, at the very least, it gives us another creepy option to endure while everyone else rides the nostalgia train back to Betelgeuse's strangely kooky world.  Was this counter-programming another worthy addition to September's house of horrors?  Let's find out.

The story centers on Belinda (Norwood), a newly pregnant anthropology professor living with her husband, Norman (Burnap).  As they await their child, Belinda and Norman's life takes a sudden detour when they reluctantly agree to take in Norman's stepmother, Solange (Hunter), following his father's funeral.  After settling in, Belinda slowly discovers Solange's strange behavior connected to her mysterious past, unraveling dark secrets that could spell the end of her relationship with Norman.  This forces the couple to confront their sins and a sinister presence lurking in their front room to save their relationship and themselves.

It's no secret that a horror film from A24 immediately captures my attention due to the studio's winning streak with the genre.  However, that's not the only reason for my intrigue toward "The Front Room".  In addition to Brandy's return to horror since 1998's "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer", the film also featured another incoming filmmaker, or in this case, filmmakers, looking to make their mark in the director's chair.  The filmmakers I'm referring to are Robert Eggers' brothers, Max and Sam, who I recently discovered after watching the trailer a few times.  I didn't realize that the directors were related to Robert Eggers until now, which piqued my curiosity because I've been a fan of the filmmaker since "The Lighthouse".  So, the bar has been set high for the Eggers Brothers' directorial debut to match Robert's quality filmmaking regarding the concept, presentation, and unnerving frights.  

But, of course, as we're all aware, having that kind of expectation can often lead to either regret, disappointment, or even both.  Unfortunately, "The Front Room" fell victim to this fate.  It's not without some intriguing ideas that could provide some unforgettable strangeness and frights, but they're gradually overshadowed by a faulty execution that's more silly than traumatizing.  It's not as terrible as a Blumhouse movie because A24 would never stoop that low regarding the quality and diverting presentation.  However, that doesn't mean I'm willing to let the studio, known for its daring, unconventional films, off the hook.  Sure, most of its films can be divisive regarding the critic and audience ratio, but none of them came close to how I felt about "The Front Room", a preachy mishmash of psychological horror, drama, and dark comedy that lacked the Lord's horrific grace.

Robert Eggers is known for his dark, gothic aesthetics in his filmography that tend to send shivers down the audience's spines, including mine.  However, Max and Sam Eggers are nothing like their brother when it comes to their directorial visions.  While they share common ground in providing unsettling content, Max and Sam intend to avoid copying Robert's homework in favor of finding their own creative voices.  That includes the presentation, consisting of a constraint yet subtly nightmarish blend of dread and abnormality.  I respect the duo for pursuing this route to avoid being a lackluster carbon copy of their sibling's bold and darkly disturbing creativity.  However, amid those good intentions, "The Front Room" showed they had much to work with to put themselves on the map regarding their direction and script.  Their approach to the film's atmosphere and themes involving religion and motherhood had promise on specific occasions.  Unfortunately, whenever they attempt to balance its dark humor with uncomfortable frights, the film becomes more of a tonal-shifting sitcom than a disturbing and bold display of its themes.

The trailer made it seem like another madcap horror experience whose build-up offers some WTF moments until its mind-blowing finale.  While it did offer those elements in the final cut, they struggled to provide a discomforting impact to deliver constant goosebumps.  Instead, we got the movie's true horror: an ailing, religious stepmother being a racist asshole to a mixed-race couple for 90 minutes straight.  That's not to say it didn't have some enjoyable moments in its dark humor, but those moments can only take it so far when they overshadow the tension and creepy imagery the movie's going for.  The Eggers Brothers' screenplay also didn't help much regarding its hit-and-miss narrative and thematic material.  Despite having some tolerable characters, the screenplay's take on realistic drama over genre cliches left me with a mediocre impression due to its underwhelming frights and lackluster conclusion.

Fortunately, the movie had another bright spot worth praising that elevated its flawed execution: its cast.  I only know Brandy Norwood from the 1997 made-for-television adaptation of "Cinderella" and, to my surprise, "Osmosis Jones".  Of course, the former stood out the most due to my mom's obsession with it and owning it on VHS.  Seeing the singer/actress in a movie without her "Cinderella" charm seemed odd at first, but it grew on me after seeing her perform in "The Front Room".  While it's far from her best performance, Brandy Norwood delivered enough merits as Belinda to step out of her Disneyfied comfort zone.  However, the real attention-grabber is Brandy's co-star, Kathryn Hunter, who plays the mean-spirited, religion-obsessed stepmother, Solange.  Even if the tonal shifts were more uneven than satisfying, Hunter's performance kept me entertained through her charismatically devilish charm, resulting in some enjoyable laughs.  Andrew Burnap and Neal Huff also delivered solid performances as Norman and Pastor Lewis, respectively.

Overall, "The Front Room" satisfies mostly through its presentation and talent, but its darkly weird aesthetics and tone are far from praiseworthy.  As mentioned earlier, there are plenty of ideas that could make this another terrifyingly rewarding win for A24 and the horror genre, especially considering the streak we have for indie horror this year.  Sadly, that streak was broken by this film, which offered more than a reason not to allow your in-laws to move in with you, but not in a good way.  Brandy Norwood and Kathryn Hunter were both great in their roles, and the dark humor was mildly enjoyable.  However, the execution of its direction, screenplay, and tonal shifts wasn't strong enough for me to sing or fear the praises of its lord and savior.  It's worth watching for the cast and presentation, but regarding the unsettling frights, you're better off seeing the other horror movies from A24.

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