The Front Room is the Eggers brothers' first full-length directorial venture. It is inspired by Susan Hill's 2016 short story of the same name, published in The Travelling Bag and Other Ghostly Stories. The film is centered around a newly pregnant female professor whose husband's father dies, compelling the couple to take the dead man's ailing wife into their home.
An American psychological horror thriller, The Front Room was also partially inspired by the Eggers brothers, Max and Sam's experiences of caring for their dying grandfather. In an interview with IndieWire, Sam stated,
“Every morning you’d wake up and you didn’t know what you would find when you’d open the door to his bedroom. Sometimes it was hilarious, sometimes it was scary and sad, sometimes it was all of those things at once.”
The brothers were also inspired by films such as Robert Aldrich's Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
When was The Front Room released?
The Front Room was released on September 6, 2024, in the United States by A24. Audiences can catch the film in theaters near them.
Who is in the cast of The Front Room?
The characters in the film include Belinda, Solange, Norman, and Pastor Lewis. The actors playing these roles are as follows:
1) Brandy Rayana Norwood as Belinda
Brandy is an American singer, model, and actress who began her career as a singer in the 90s. Brandy established her career as a singer in the industry, selling six million copies of her first album worldwide. Apart from her career as a singer, she is known for acting in Moesha, Osmosis Jones, and Cinderella. In an interview with IndieWire, when asked about casting Brandy, Max stated,
“We needed somebody who could go against the wickedest of wicked stepmothers, and who better to connect and root for than the OG?”
2) Kathryn Hunter as Solange
Kathryn Hunter plays the role of Solange in the film. Hunter is a British-American actress known for her work in physical theater and appearances in the Harry Potter films. She has acted in films such as Poor Things and The Tragedy of Macbeth. She has also acted in television roles such as Andor, Les Misérables, and Black Earth Rising.
3) Andrew Burnap as Norman
Andrew Burnap plays the role of Norman, Belinda's husband. An American actor, he is known to play roles in Under the Banner of Heaven and the upcoming Snow White.
4) Neal Huff as Pastor Lewis
Neal Huff plays the role of Pastor Lewis. He is an American actor known for his work on Broadway. He has done roles in series such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Girls, The Affair, The Wire, and Law & Order. He has also acted in films such as Causeway, Waves, and Radium Girls.
What is The Front Room about?
The official site of A24 states the official synopsis of the films as,
“Everything goes to hell for newly pregnant Belinda (Brandy) after her mother-in-law (Kathryn Hunter) moves in. As the diabolical guest tries to get her claws on the child, Belinda must draw the line somewhere."
What happens in The Front Room?
Belinda is a pregnant professor who is still struggling with the loss of her firstborn. Her husband Norman receives a call from his estranged stepmother, Solange, who informs him about his dying father. Norman knowing the religious abuse that Solange inflicts, refuses to come home.
Belinda, frustrated with her job, quits but receives the news that her father-in-law has passed. When the couple reaches the funeral, Solange requests the couple to let her live with them in return for her substantial inheritance. Norman, having not told Belinda about Solange’s religious abuse, agrees as he finds him and Belinda in an unstable financial situation.
The film delves into how Solange torments Belinda and slowly takes over the couple’s lives, and that of their child.
Why is The Front Room rated R?
The film is rated R due to certain depictions of foul language, nudity, and violence. Since the film is a horror feature film, there are certain disturbing scenes like a woman pouring a hot beverage on an elderly woman.
The Front Room was released on September 6, 2024, and is currently in theatres.
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