Everything appears to be out of place in The Front Room , a ghastly psychological horror about a young married couple who should never have allowed an in-law to move in. Belinda (Brandy) and her husband Norman (Andrew Burnap) are in trouble. She has just quit her job as an anthropology professor; he hasn’t yet secured a decent gig at his law firm.
When Norman’s father dies, his elderly stepmother Solange (Kathryn Hunter) calls with a proposition. If they allow the wealthy Solange to live with them, they can have all her money after she dies. With a baby on the way, Belinda and Norman need the extra cash.
There’s just one problem: Solange is a nasty piece of work. You’ll hardly need to be told what happens next. Based on a short story by Susan Hill, The Front Room promises plenty but delivers nothing.
All signs point towards crummy management, and first-time filmmakers Max and Sam Eggers are in way over their heads here. Their film is careless, crass, and it prioritises empty scares and lopsided laughs over coherent storytelling. The only thing it commits to is a recurring bit about Solange’s incontinence.
In a word? Depressing. One star.