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The Front Room is a psychological horror film released by A24 in the United States on September 6, 2024. Starring Brandy, Kathryn Hunter, Andrew Burnap, and Neal Huff, the film is based on Susan Hill’s 2016 short story of the same name. It is the feature film directional debut of Max and Sam Eggers, brothers of acclaimed filmmaker Robert Eggers.
The plot follows a financially struggling young couple, Belinda and Norman, who take in the husband’s estranged, ailing stepmother, Solange after she promises to leave them her inheritance. As unsettling events unfold, Belinda confronts challenges in their relationship, facing racism, power struggle, manipulation, and alienation.
Disclaimer: The article ahead contains spoilers for The Front Room. Reader discretion is advised.
Towards the end, it is revealed that Belinda ends up killing Solange and faking the murder as a natural death. The Front Room has garnered fan attention for its storytelling style and exploration of family dynamics.
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The Front Room ending: Belinda suffocates Solange to death
After enduring manipulation, racism, and emotional abuse at the hands of Solange, Belinda's final act gives a plot twist to the climax of The Front Room. Although she is physically and psychologically troubled by Solange's torment, she reaches her breaking point when her newborn child is injured, and she is falsely accused of harming her baby.
Belinda realizes that Solange’s presence will threaten the peace of her family, and her role as the matriarch. After the biting incident, Norman finally stands up to Solange. Solange is hurt and angry with Norman's reaction and spends the whole night praying for her death.
In the morning, it is revealed that Solange has passed away in the night. The couple cremate her and become entitled to her inheritance. Some time passes, and Norman and Belinda's lives significantly improve. They are now expecting twins and moving into a new house.
At the interview for a new job, Belinda is asked how she managed her life earlier while caring for her first child and her mother-in-law. In this moment, a flashback reveals that Belinda suffocated Solange with a pillow that night, in an act of desperation. The Front Room leaves viewers pondering whether Belinda's actions were justified or if she became a product of the trauma inflicted upon her.
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Who bit the baby?
The injury to Belinda and Norman’s baby is a turning point in The Front Room, as the built-up tension between Belinda and Solange reaches its peak. Although Norman initially accuses Belinda, she provides evidence that points to Solange. The teeth marks on the baby’s body, paired with Solange’s missing teeth, strongly imply that Solange is the culprit.
Solange is never shown as biting the child, and The Front Room does not further explore the subplot. However, Solange's actions have been portrayed as obsessive and abusive from the beginning, and the bite mark could symbolize Solange's desire to assert herself as the primary maternal figure.
In the film, it is implied Solange views Belinda not only as an outsider but also as a threat to her control over Norman and the household. Solange is not merely an overbearing mother-in-law, she is also undermining Belinda’s role as a mother. Another fan theory suggests that Belinda actually bites her child and shifts the blame onto Solange. The makers of the film have left this subplot open to interpretation.
Does Solange have supernatural powers?
The Front Room hints at the possibility of Solange possessing supernatural powers but does not support it with any concrete evidence. It contains multiple incidents that suggest that she has an unexplainable influence on Belinda and Norman's life.
Additionally, Solange’s comparison to Mother Mary, the recurring imagery of the Christian fish symbol, and her religious practices add to the mystery. However, these supernatural elements are left deliberately ambiguous by the film makers
Belinda's postpartum stress, coupled with Solange's manipulation set an unreliable narrative, where the line between reality and imagination is blurred in The Front Room. For instance, it is revealed that Solange's knowledge of Belinda's stillborn son, Wallace, is through eavesdropping rather than a paranormal revelation.
The film became available on premium video on demand on September 24, 2024. Universal Pictures released The Front Room in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2024, and it is streaming on Max starting January 3, 2025.
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