THE FRONT ROOM

Married couple Belinda (Brandy) and Norman (Andrew Burnap) are expecting their first child when Norman suddenly gets a phone call that his father has passed and he has to cross paths with his overbearing step-mother Solange (Kathryn Hunter). Fearing she doesn't have much time herself to live, Solange makes the couple a proposition: she'll leave every dime she has to them as long as she can move in with them, as the house used to belong to her, and she wants to be surrounded by family in her final days. Although once moved in, her and Belinda battle for dominance for Norman's attention as well as care for the newborn. I was surprised to see Brandy starring in this as I haven't seen her since 1998's I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. Kathryn Hunter steals the show however as the cantankerous and old fashioned mother-in-law. And like many people her age, she speaks her mind and isn't concerned with fragile feelings. She's stubborn, set in her ways, and a devout Christian, which the film also at times makes fun of or tries to portray her a kook. The film also takes the obvious bite of low hanging fruit and slathers on a layer of racism as well because its the lazy thing to do. The film appeared more interesting from the trailer as the movie has a constant wash-and-repeat, back-and-forth between Belinda and Solange that definitely runs its course by the credits. The writers also tried to pull a fast one over the audience with the final scene but its limp in its attempt and rather undermines Belinda character in my opinion. 5/10