Birthright is the kind of film that feels painfully recognisable, even as it spirals into increasingly absurd and unsettling territory. Writer-director Zoe Pepper takes the all-too-relatable anxiety of moving back in with your parents as an adult and turns it into a viciously funny social satire about class, entitlement, and the widening emotional divide between generations.
The setup is deceptively simple. Cory (Travis Jeffery) and his heavily pregnant wife Jasmine (Maria Angelico) lose both their home and financial stability, forcing them to move into the home of Cory’s wealthy parents, Richard (Michael Hurst) and Lyn (Linda Cropper). What begins as an awkward temporary arrangement quickly mutates into a bitter domestic power struggle where every passive-aggressive comment, territorial dispute, and petty act of defiance feels like emotional warfare.
Pepper brilliantly weaponises discomfort. The film constantly shifts audience sympathies, refusing to make any character entirely right or wrong. Richard and Lyn are undeniably cold and judgemental, clinging tightly to a “we struggled, so you should too” mentality that feels painfully familiar in conversations around housing and financial instability. They cannot comprehend the reality Cory and Jasmine are living through, where hard work no longer guarantees independence or security. Yet the film also understands that Cory’s frustration slowly curdles into entitlement, resentment, and reckless behaviour.
That balancing act is what makes Birthright so compelling. Rather than turning the parents into cartoon villains or Cory into a pure victim, the film explores how economic pressure corrodes relationships and identity itself. Cory isn’t simply angry about money; he’s angry about failing to achieve the version of adulthood he was promised. The humiliation of moving back home hangs over every interaction, and Pepper taps into the psychological toll of that loss of independence with remarkable precision.
At the same time, the film is extremely funny. Its humour is dry, uncomfortable, and often rooted in social awkwardness, but it lands consistently. The escalating territorial disputes inside the house become increasingly ridiculous in ways that feel both theatrical and deeply truthful. Much of the comedy stems from how petty everyone becomes once pride takes over. A jacket, a locked door, a covered swimming pool – every object becomes symbolic of control, status, and masculinity.
Jeffery delivers an outstanding performance as Cory, gradually peeling away the character’s desperation, shame, and simmering rage until he becomes almost impossible to predict. Even as Cory spirals, Jeffery keeps him grounded in emotional sincerity, which makes his descent fascinating to watch. Cropper and Hurst are equally excellent, embodying a generation so convinced of its own logic that it cannot recognise its own cruelty.
Pepper’s theatre background is also evident in the best possible way. Much of the film unfolds within a single location, but the confined setting only intensifies the tension. Conversations feel loaded with years of resentment, while the tonal shifts between satire, comedy, and psychological horror are handled with impressive confidence.
While Birthright is technically framed as a comedy-thriller, it works best as a black comedy with horror elements simmering beneath the surface. The violence arrives late, but the real unease comes from watching a family weaponise love, money, and obligation against each other. The film understands that financial instability doesn’t just affect bank accounts – it reshapes self-worth, relationships, and the ability to imagine a future.
Sharp, uncomfortable, and darkly hilarious, Birthright turns a deeply modern housing nightmare into an entertaining and biting portrait of generational frustration. It’s one of those rare films that feels exaggerated and painfully real at the same time.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Birthright is screening in Australian theatres from May 21st, 2026.
Madman Films will be hosting a series of Q&A events in the lead up to its national release at the following locations:
NSW: Ritz Cinemas with director Zoe Pepper and actor Travis Jeffery on May 13th and Dendy Newtown on May 14th.
WA: Luna Palace Leederville with director Zoe Pepper on May 19th and Luna Palace on SX on May 21st.
QLD: Five Star Cinemas New Farm with director Zoe Pepper and producer Cody Greenwood on May 15th.
