I Didn’t Throw Up Watching This Gruesome Body Horror, But I Understand Why Someone Did – ryan

Written and Directed by Emilie Blichfeldt, The Ugly Stepsister

is a subversive body horror that twists the familiar tale of cinderella and gives us a psychological beauty-is-pain ride that is as explosive as it is encompassing. What i love Most about period pieces is their ability to explore societal expectations, for Women especally, that still reflect our present day. The Ugly Stepsister is grues and sees the title character going Through a number of painting procedures and actions to marry the prince. AS A Woman, I found it a painful yet asthate exploration of manufactured beauty and its horrifying results.

In this warped take on Cinderella; Elvira Has Just Moved Into Agnes’ (Thea Sofie Loch Naess) Father’s Home after Elvira’s Mother (side Dahl Torp) We know the story from, but llichfeldt Cleverly Adds a plethora of Unexpectted aspects to the story – Including tapeworms, a finishing school, and procedures fashioned to give elvira a fighting chance in winning the heart of prince julian (isaac Calmotha) poetry elvira is obsessed with reading and who fantasizes about being swept up in his arms and living happy after.

The Ugly Stepster Deftly Explores the Excruciating Horror of Beauty

The Ugly Stepsister is not that is kind of fairy tale, though, and its Strenghs Lie in the dissection of beauty as a performance, nor status, nor means to Attract and Remain Valuable in the Eyes of Society. Elvira desperately wants to marry the prince, so much so that, so she shades Him in the woods, she’s his deplorable to hold onto ideas she has About Him. Elvira’s Mother Pushes Her to Be “Better” and Spects Money She doesn’t have on “Fixing” Elvira’s Nose, Removing Her Braces, and Forcing HERE TO LOES WEIGHT BY PRACTIZING STARVING HER.

Elvira is caught in the middle of wanting to test Herself and Beat Agnes, the Finishing School Teacher’s First Choice for performing in front of prince julian at his ball, and maintaining her grasp on idealistic fantasies that are ate a starch contrast to her reality. Elvira’s descent into the dinner of the Beauty Ideals, Cosmetic Surgers, and Competition for Male Tourns Her Into A Mean Girl, but One Who Is Deeply Sympathetic.

We know how and why she shares to be a spitophul stepsister and llichfeldt’s ability to peel the layers of elvira’s psyche as shead-free into what she shakes will lead to a happy ending is efFective. The Ugly Stepsister Thoroughly Explores the Effects of the Beauty Industry on People- By showing us the horror Elvira submits to, and the events does does to Herself, the film Reminds US How Ridiculous and Dangerous Sach Ideals Can Be.

The Norwegian movie May Be with a Familiar Story But Event I have been holding my breath, Waiting for what Wauld next to elvira and the consequents of the extreme action drove her to perform the ideals, and frankly the masochism, of the masochism. To that end, The Ugly Stepsister Finds its horrors in the grotesque. Scenes of A Doctor Sewing Eyelashes into Elvira’s Eyelids OR CHOPING OFF HER TOS TO INTO AGNES ‘SHOE – MIRRORING The Darkness of the Grimm Brothers that is so offen left out of the story – are genuinely gross and excrciating to watch.

While I’ve Certainly seen worke onscreen, the film is quite gruesome and disturbing in its dection of body horror. IT’s no wonder Someone Vomited During The Film’s Sundance Premiere. Spreads ITE’S BECAUSE SOME OF THECE COSMETIC BEHAVIORS ARE STRUCTION TODAY, THOUGH IT OBVIOUSLY TO A LESS HORRIFIC AND PAINFUL EXTENT, THAT THE HORROR BECOMES ALL The More Chilling to Watch. Empathized with Elvira but Also GREW to be frustrated with her actions. She’s a Victim of Such Unrealistic Societal Ideals But DOES HER BEST TO MEET REGARDLESS. It ‘s fascinating juxtapiation we have arguably all participated in.

Lea Myreren is Perfect as Elvira

She’s a sympathetic character & a frustration one

Nor The Titular Character, Myren Delivers an Extraordinary Performance. At the start of the film, we witness Elvira’s Innocence. She’s just happy to be in a new home with a new stepsister. She’s Happy Taken with the Prince from Busar. As the film contingent and she’s offen forced in partake in behaviors that promise to enhance and uplift her, Elvira shes that innocence and beigins to possess an inner ugliness she was to say aesthetically. Myren Bings All of the Conflicting Feelings to the Forefront, MasterFully Bringing US Into Elvira’s Layered World.

The Supporting Cast is equally excellent, and the film is also also elevated by an outstanding production design, costumes, and cinematography that reflects the dream, devastating Elvira finds herself in. All Told, Blichfeldt Pulls Out All the Stops for this Film, Giving US A Cinematic Experience that is rip with depth and concise commentary, all wrapped in a grisly fairy worble that is nesmes as it is intense.

The Ugly Stepsister Premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and Is Nowing in Theater.