If you know me you know I am absolutely here for the “food horror” movement that is happening right now. So I was eagerly seated when it was time for ‘House of Spoils.’ Lucky me because not only is this another take on the atrocities of upscale dining, it’s also a witchcraft story. Let’s face it, cooking is magic, and long considered “women’s work” unless it is done at the most elite level, which has been dominated by men. ‘House of Spoils’ takes a look at those patriarchal gender roles while taking viewers on a ride through truly icky spoiled foods and some pretty fun scares. The writing/directing team of Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy have crafted a unique narrative in an increasingly crowded sub-genre.
‘House of Spoils’ follows an ambitious chef (Ariana DeBose) as she leaves behind a comfortable and lucrative spot in a famous New York City kitchen to become head chef at a new remote estate turned restaurant in upstate New York. It’s a big gamble to be sure as on her arrival she sees that the entire property is going to need a lot of work…and she’s also going to have to learn how to garden. The restaurant investor, Andres (Adrian Moayed), who is at the helm of the project, has not really set her up for success and she is forced to sink or swim. Chef (the character is never named beyond this) is forced to take on Andres’ hanger on Lucia (Barbie Ferreira) as a sous chef despite her lack of experience.
As they begin to get the restaurant ready for guests mysterious setbacks and rapid food spoilage keep plaguing them as Chef is encouraged to “feed the soil.” The more she uncovers about the history of the estate and the uses of the plants that grow there the more control Chef has over the outcome of the food and the command over the kitchen. While at first she spins out of control her determination, and desperation, drives her to right the ship as the first dinner service approaches.
At the heart of every witch story is misogynistic and patriarchal violence. Witchcraft, and the villainization of it, has always been about the male fear of female power and autonomy. Accusing strong women of dealing with satanic forces and demonizing folk knowledge is a way to keep them in check. Another way to keep women powerless that is employed in this film is the driving of division and competition between women. We see this between the characters of Chef and Lucia. While it is not explicit it is suggested that Lucia has slept her way into this role and Chef not only tries to punish her for that, she also puts her through the paces she herself had to go through coming up in the male dominated world of professional kitchens. Women in these situations have to work twice as hard to get half as much respect, I imagine it’s the same for film-making in a lot of cases. Andres gets to play the role of the worst kind of men. Clueless and incapable, yet somehow in a position of power, and with the ability to take the power away from Chef.
Even with all of this subtext ‘House of Spoils’ never feels heavy with commentary. The narrative flows along at a good pace. While I wished for a bit more character development, particularly for Lucia, the plot was solid. The scares here might not be enough to move the hardened horror fan, but the gross bits go hard and there are some satisfying jump scares. The sense of feeling trapped hangs over the film and keeps the viewer unsettled while inhabiting a beautiful location. There are some moments where the CGI is a bit to front and center and not completely successful, but the established dread is enough to keep things spooky.
‘House of Spoils’ had its World Premier at Fantastic Fest and will be on Prime October 3rd, 2024.
