THE FRONT ROOM
NOTE: This spoiler was submitted by Athena
The film opens with Belinda (Brandy Norwood), an anthropology professor, teaching to an incredibly disinterested class. Belinda, who is pregnant with a girl, then stresses out after getting an ultrasound. She and her husband, Norman (Andrew Burnap), are still grieving from the loss of their stillborn first son, Wallace. Norman suddenly gets a phone call from his estranged stepmother, Solange (Kathryn Hunter), who informs him about his dying father. Norman refuses to visit, citing emotional and religious abuse from Solange growing up.
On the next day, frustrated with her department treating her as an adjunct, Belinda quits her job. When she returns home, Norman informs her that his father has died. At the funeral, Solange is introduced to Belinda, who struggles to walk and uses two canes. Solange’s lawyer then reads out Norman’s father’s final request – to take in Solange in their home for the rest of her days. Solange adds to the deal by saying she’s willing to give Belinda and Norman everything she has when she dies. While initially dismissive, Belinda convinces Norman to reluctantly agree because of their financial situation.
Upon moving in, Solange takes the titular front room, which was to serve as a nursery for their daughter. Belinda is immediately shocked when she finds that Solange carries a Daughters of the Confederacy certificate and is immediately subject to religious discrimination. Solange also repeatedly calls Belinda “Belinder.”
At dinner, Solange continues to make Belinda uncomfortable by insulting her cooking and disapproving of their new baby’s name Fern. After speaking in tongues, Solange then suggests their baby be renamed Laurie after Belinda’s father Lawrence, who died shortly after she was born. Later that night, Belinda overhears Solange continuing to pray in tongues while mentioning Wallace.
The next days are even worse, with an incontinent Solange and absent Norman adding to Belinda’s frustration. One night, while praying in tongue, Solange possibly induces Belinda into labor. After Belinda gives birth (with the baby now being named Laurie as per Solange’s suggestion), she returns home to her house being refurnished with Solange’s own furniture with Norman’s father’s ashes. Belinda’s prayer circle then gathers around Belinda and Laurie and begins to intensely pray in tongues over them. Belinda angrily kicks out everyone from the house. Solange reveals Norman agreed to the refurnishings and the prayer circles without informing Belinda, which frustrated her more.
Another intense dinner happens where Solange begins spouting out racial microaggressions, leading to Belinda calling her a racist. Belinda shoves Solange to the ground and leaves her there after Solange repeatedly asks “Belinder” to help her despite Belinda correcting her.
On the next morning, Belinda sees Solange walking without the help of a cane. When Solange sees her, she immediately falls to the ground and pretends to be unable to walk. Belinda then struggles to get Laurie to stop crying and latch on to her, only pacified when she shows her Solange’s cross.
Later, while cleaning up after Solange makes a mess in her room yet again, Belinda sees a vision of Solange seemingly breastfeeding Laurie. After an argument, Solange throws herself against a table and convinces Norman that Belinda pushed her. Belinda and Norman then get into an argument about Norman never being honest about his family to her and refusing to put Solange in a nursing home.
Over the next few days, Belinda is stuck taking care of a frequently incontinent Solange and crying, Laurie. Pastor Lewis (Neal Huff) later stops by and reveals that Solange already paid off the mortgage of the house in full without telling them. Belinda then angrily dumps a bottle of water on Solange’s head. Belinda later has a nightmare of Norman breastfeeding from Solange.
Belinda is woken up to Norman getting angry about a bite mark on Laurie’s arm. Belinda shows him the missing tooth mark, indicating that Solange did it. Norman stands up to Solange and she spits in his face. Solange then spends the entire night loudly pleading for her death.
In the morning, Belinda wakes up to Laurie finally latching on to her. When the couple checks on Solange, she is dead in her bedroom. Solange is promptly cremated with a neutral Belinda watching.
Years later, Belinda is pregnant with twins and moving into a new home. She drives to a job interview while loudly singing No Regrets by Edith Piaf. At her interview, when the dean asks about how she felt during her previous situation, Belinda simply answers that she’s never felt better in her entire life. A flashback then reveals Belinda smothered Solange to death. Belinda smiles as the movie ends.
