A24’s new horror flick and Eggers Brothers’ debut The Front Room is one of the most talked about movies on the internet, largely because of its interesting premise and the weight of expectation on the directors.
The film was released on September 6, 2024, leaving audiences shaken. The movie is likely to have instigated a lot of frantic searches about the film’s true meaning, so, even though we’re still shook, too, we’ll attempt to break down the conclusion of The Front Room.
Spoilers ahead for The Front Room!
The movie follows Belinda, (Brandy), a heavily pregnant woman who has to contend with her deeply religious and elderly mother-in-law Solange (Kathryn Hunter), who comes to live with Belinda and her husband Norman (Andrew Burnap) in exchange for promising a hefty inheritance. During her stay, Solange makes Belinda’s life a living hell, constantly putting her down to exert her dominance as the family’s matriarch.
In due course, Solange’s belief in her powers, guided by the “holy spirit,” pushes Belinda to the brink of lunacy. The matter escalates when Belinda notices a human bite mark on her newborn Laurie, and she deduces that it was Solange’s doing because the mark is missing a few teeth imprints. Later in the night, Solange is shown taking her last breaths, making unpleasant sounds, and muttering about how she wants to pass away.
In the movie, it is implied that Solange dies a natural death, and she is given a prompt cremation by Norman and Belinda. The film then includes a time jump, depicting the newly acquired wealth of the family. Belinda is pregnant with twins and heading to a job interview. When she is asked the question about dealing with her previous situation, the movie makes its biggest reveal: Belinda secretly killed Solange by smothering her with a pillow.
The movie’s build-up act justifies Belinda’s decision and shows how Solange, a mother herself, made the situation untenable for her. Factoring in her obsessive religious behavior and dangerous attitude towards the newborn, Belinda likely saved both her and Laurie’s lives in this horror comedy with a dark twist.
