“House of Spoils,” directed by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy, serves up a unique blend of culinary drama and supernatural horror, starring Ariana DeBose as a chef whose dreams of restaurant stardom quickly curdle into a nightmare. While the film boasts an original premise and a strong central performance, it ultimately struggles to balance its flavors, leaving viewers with a dish that’s intriguing but undercooked.
Premise and Plot
The story follows an ambitious chef (Ariana DeBose) who leaves her mentor Marcello (Marton Csokas) to launch her own fine-dining restaurant in a remote, dilapidated mansion. Backed by her business partner Andreas (Arian Moayed), she faces immediate challenges: spoiled ingredients, a sabotaged garden, and mounting pressure from investors and critics. As she tries to craft a unique menu, she’s forced to take on Lucia (Barbie Ferreira) as her sous chef, leading to tension and power struggles in the kitchen.
But the real trouble begins with a series of unnerving supernatural events. The mansion is rumored to be haunted by its previous owner, a woman accused of witchcraft but ultimately revealed to be an herbalist and healer. As the chef delves into the property’s history—harvesting mysterious herbs, experiencing hallucinations, and uncovering a hidden chamber—her grip on reality slips. The pressure peaks during the restaurant’s soft opening, where disaster strikes: food appears rotten, a patron has an allergic reaction, and the chef collapses.
Locked in the cellar by Andreas on the eve of the grand opening, the chef discovers the truth about the previous owner’s tragic fate and uses her legacy to dig herself out—literally. In a climactic outdoor feast, she and her team improvise a meal around a bonfire, finally winning over critics and finding peace with the haunted past.
Atmosphere and Execution
“House of Spoils” excels at building tension, especially in its early acts. The isolated mansion, with its creaking floors and overgrown gardens, provides a suitably eerie backdrop. The film effectively conveys the suffocating stress of high-end cooking, where the fear of failure is as terrifying as any ghost. The kitchen scenes are intense and well-staged, capturing both the artistry and brutality of the culinary world.
However, the horror elements often feel underwhelming or forced. The ghostly presence of the former owner is more a narrative device than a source of genuine scares, and her backstory is never fully explored. The film loses focus after the first hour, with the supernatural and psychological threads failing to coalesce into a satisfying climax.
Themes and Symbolism
At its core, the film is about legacy—both culinary and personal. The chef’s journey mirrors that of the mansion’s previous owner, misunderstood and maligned by those around her. The use of local, mysterious herbs and the motif of the rabbit (which the chef ultimately kills and serves) symbolize both a connection to nature and the sacrifices required for greatness. There’s also a thread of social commentary, critiquing the elitism of fine dining and the exploitation of staff in high-pressure kitchens.
Performances
Ariana DeBose anchors the film with a committed, emotionally charged performance, convincingly portraying a woman unraveling under pressure. Barbie Ferreira and Arian Moayed provide solid support, though some character dynamics—particularly the chef’s hostility toward Lucia—feel underdeveloped or inconsistent.
Strengths
- Original premise combining culinary drama with haunted house horror
- Strong lead performance by Ariana DeBose
- Atmospheric setting and well-executed kitchen sequences
- Interesting social critique on the restaurant industry and use of natural ingredients
Weaknesses
- Uneven pacing and a loss of focus in the second half
- Underexplored supernatural elements and backstory
- Anti-climactic ending that leaves key questions unresolved
- Some clunky dialogue and narrative inconsistencies
Final Thoughts
“House of Spoils” is a film with an appetizing concept and flashes of inspiration, but it ultimately plays it too safe, never fully committing to either its horror or dramatic ambitions. The result is a movie that’s atmospheric and occasionally intense, but not particularly scary or memorable. Ariana DeBose’s performance and the unique setting make it worth a watch for genre fans and foodies alike, but those seeking a truly satisfying horror experience may leave the table hungry.
Rating: 3/5