Foodie culture has become a very popular dish in the entertainment industry, and for good reason. The viral nature of food enthusiasts on social media is likely one of the many factors why we’ve gotten Emmy-winning television shows likeThe Bearor fan-favorite satires likeThe Menu. Speaking of the latter example, MGM Studios and Blumhouse’s latest horror stint,House of Spoils, will inevitably generate numerous comparisons toThe Menu, even though it’s actually the antithesis to the 2022 sleeper hit in a variety of ways. WhereThe Menufollows a working-class woman who is held hostage by a deluded and pretentious chef,House of Spoilstells the story of an aspiring culinary genius who becomes besieged by supernatural forces. WhereThe Menucasts blame on the consumers for tarnishing the art of cooking,House of Spoilsargues that the problems with the industry start in the kitchen. Unfortunately, whereThe Menuserved a sharp, clever, and riveting entrée,House of Spoilspresents a dull, rudimentary, and underwhelming appetizer.
What Is ‘House of Spoils’About?
The main protagonist ofHouse of Spoilsis a young woman referred to only as Chef (Ariana DeBose), who has spent nearly a decade of her life training among the best culinary minds in the industry. Now, Chef wants to make her mark on the world of food by running her own restaurant. With the help of a smooth-talking restauranteur named Andres (Arian Moayed), Chef soon begins prepping an abandoned mansion to become an upscale and remote restaurant destination. Before long, though,Chef soon learns that the mansion’s previous owner may have had connections to the occult, who may still be wandering the derelict home’s walls to this very day.
A psychological thriller centering around ghoulish witches and a lust for fame and power sounds like a surefire recipe for a compelling horror feature. In the case ofHouse of Spoils, something must have gone wrong in following that recipe, as the new Blumhouse film fundamentally lacks a lot of the scares and thrillsthatthe production company is so well-known for.In fact, it doesn’t even really feel likeHouse of Spoilswas originally intended to be a horror film, and that the standard checklist of cheap jump scares and generic ghost stories was only implemented once Blumhouse got hold of the script.
The familiar horror/thriller main course ofHouse of Spoilscould be forgiven if it was garnished with something memorable and unique, such as meaningful commentary and satire on the culinary industry. Sadly, most of the film’s commentary on the food service world has already been explored to great lengths in other movies and shows. The only thematic element that could be considered more distinct inHouse of Spoilsis a look into the culinary industry’s sexist tendencies, butthe film doesn’t commit nearly enough to say anything profound or interesting.
Ariana DeBose’s Performance in ‘House of Spoils’ Is a Mixed Bag
Ariana DeBose’s impeccable charismais exactly what earnedtheWest Side Storystar a well-deserved Academy Award winfor Best Supporting Actress. She clearly has a talent for playing sharp, clever, and independent characters, so a role like the Chef inHouse of Spoilsseems tailor-made for her. The fact that the film’s protagonist is only credited and referred to as “Chef” opens the door to a lot of interpretation for a complex character who is not nearly as respected by her peers as she should be. The overall general concept of a chef dabbling in witchcraft is also a fun concept thatHouse of Spoilsdeserves credit for trying to explore.
Ariana DeBose Cooks Up Stomach-Churning Horrors in First ‘House of Spoils’ Trailer
The Blumhouse production hits Prime Video on October 3.
This is why it’s disappointing to see thatDeBose’s performance is all over the place inHouse of Spoils. This is especially true in the film’s already uneven “scary” sequences, where DeBose’s fear in the face of a potential ghost witch doesn’t come across as convincing. Some moments where DeBose is presumably supposed to act startled and horrifiedappear as being unintentionally hilarious due to her unconvincing screams of terror.That being said, DeBose shines best when she’s able to get more creative with the Chef’s descent into madness, particularly when she has someone to bounce off of likeEuphoria’sBarbie FerreiraandSuccession’s Arian Moayed, both of whom are strong supporting cast members even in their limited screentime..
Ferreira and Moayed’s characters of Lucia and Andres, respectively, also could have benefited from some more development.House of Spoilsteases that they have more dynamic arcs beyond the one-note characters they’re initially introduced as. Andres, for example, first appears as your standard sleazy businessman, but just when it seems like there’s a more vulnerable character lying beneath the surface,House of Spoilsonce again struggles to commit.
The Third Act of ‘House of Spoils’ is a Bitter Dessert
The dramatic conclusion ofHouse of Spoilsmight be the most underwhelming aspect of the entire film. Much of this can be linked to the big twist of the film, which, without giving too much away, completely devours any tension and suspense that was still lying beneath the film’s surface.The result is a perplexing and confusing finale that leaves viewers with more questions than answers. An early scene inHouse of Spoilssees Chef being forced to use pre-packaged and pre-existing ingredients to put one of her meals together. If that’s not a perfect analogy forHouse of Spoils, then we don’t know what is. That’s because the film feels like it’s making use of storytelling devices and clichés that have been used over and over again in other stories.The end product is something that is serviceable and easy to digest, but also far too familiar, lacking any major innovations.
House of Spoils
House of Spoils deserves credit for an intriguing concept, but its souffle of ideas deflates in the presence of too many familiar cooks in the kitchen.
House of Spoilspremieres on Prime Video on Thursday, July 30, 2025.
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