‘The Front Room’ Netflix Movie Review - Huge Potential Lost

The Front Room is the kind of movie with which you have high expectations, but sadly, it falls short. The plot revolves around Belinda, a pregnant professor of anthropology who has been dealing with financial as well as professional stress. Her husband, Norman, is a soft, well-spoken man who has been preparing for the baby now that the due date is getting closer.  However, things begin to change once Norman’s father dies and his estranged stepmother, Solange, resurfaces in their lives. Solange comes up with a deal: she will pay off the couple’s debt and also leave them with her share of the inheritance if they allow her to live with them for the rest of her life. One might think what harm can this offer do, provided that a big financial burden is getting off their head. And hence they take her in and allot her the front room. Thus begins the series of events that leaves all of them in shock in a psychological battle. Solange comes across as someone who is intrusive, orthodox, and manipulative. She delivers sermons on sin and motherhood, trying to influence Belinda in every way possible. Her presence seems to be very ominous, which is the main point of the film.

Now, the plot looks good, but it is highly uneven in the way the narrative is developed. The entire time, you will have many questions popping up in your head, the answers to which will hardly be there in the movie. Post the ending, I realized what a powerful plot this could have been had things been executed right. But that doesn’t happen, and that is the sad part. So much of a potential loss of what could have been one of the amazing psychological thrillers ever.

Coming to the acting part, the star cast is the only saving grace here. Brandy Norwood as Belinda is amazing. She portrays a woman who is pregnant and, to some extent, bullied by her stepmother-in-law. That fear and confusion, alongside the frustration of financial distress, are well depicted by her. Kathryn Hunter as Solange creates a sense of an ominous environment that was well needed in the movie. Right from the start to the end, she doesn’t go out of character and manages to create the sinister vibe that was much needed in the movie. Andrew Burnap, as the soft-spoken husband, adds the spark to the cast that the leading ladies have already created. So it is indeed the star cast that is the saving grace of the movie.

Coming to the dialogs, which are not up to the mark as well. The dialogs fail to leave a lasting mark that one expects out of a thriller. It feels more like a lecture that is being delivered to us, and that too on all the negative notes. So if you are someone who is into psychological thrillers, this one might not live up to your expectations. I would suggest watching something else and better, unless you are a fan of the star cast.

Final Score- [5/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times