We get The Substance and now The Ugly Stepsister at Sundance?! Body horror giving a big old middle finger to absurd beauty standards is thriving right now, and I’m loving it.
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The movie is a wonderfully extreme spin on the classic Cinderella story that doesn’t hold back exploring the lengths the title character will go to to meet Cinderella standards. There’s a whole bunch of jaw-on-the-floor effects-heavy beats ...
... one in particular near the end that actually made me a little squeamish which rarely happens — but a big reason why those moments pack such a punch and why the movie overall hits so hard is because it’s all in service of raising vital questions about unattainable beauty pressures.
It does so via characters that aren’t simply fairytale heroes or villains, but rather, complex individuals - individuals I felt encouraged to try to understand, rather than judge.
Not only is this a top tier feature debut for writer-director Emilie Blichfeldt, but it’s also a staggeringly impressive first feature for its lead actor, Lea Myren. Talk about going above and beyond for a role!
It's so good. What you said about no heroes and villains is what really made it work for me. Lea's outstanding performance is also filled with terrific nuanced moments and isn't just about the physical transformation
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