I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but this one's especially misleading. Sure the surrealistic horror imagery does make an appearance in the film, and it's as enjoyably grotesque as the cover suggests. However, it's relevance to the plot is merely as dream sequences which are sparingly peppered throughout the film.
What actually transpires is a dark family drama focusing on the coming of age of a teenage sociopath. Once I got my brain to switch gears from the abstract terror I was expecting, there was still plenty to enjoy. It still has many of disturbing elements, it's fixation on blood, surgery and STDs is enough to make anyone a little squeamish. AnnaLynne McCord totally nails her role, delivering a uniquely awkward and horrible character.
Even with a lean runtime, the film does start to drag at points as there's a redundancy to the cringey scenarios. It's a curious stylistic blend given how the extreme nightmare imagery often gives way to aggressively dry high-school minutia.
However, they really pull off an impressive finish. It's obvious the whole time that it's building up to something, though it's hard to guess exactly what. The finale does a great job walking the tightrope of delivering something shocking that still makes sense to the character arcs they had developed throughout the film.
The casting is also a riot. Googling AnnaLynne McCord makes you realize how far they went transforming this potential runway model into a grotesque teen. Also, the puritanical mom is played by former teen pornstar Traci Lords, it's my first time seeing Ariel Winter outside Modern Family and I am always pleased with a nice John Waters cameo.
What actually transpires is a dark family drama focusing on the coming of age of a teenage sociopath. Once I got my brain to switch gears from the abstract terror I was expecting, there was still plenty to enjoy. It still has many of disturbing elements, it's fixation on blood, surgery and STDs is enough to make anyone a little squeamish. AnnaLynne McCord totally nails her role, delivering a uniquely awkward and horrible character.
Even with a lean runtime, the film does start to drag at points as there's a redundancy to the cringey scenarios. It's a curious stylistic blend given how the extreme nightmare imagery often gives way to aggressively dry high-school minutia.
However, they really pull off an impressive finish. It's obvious the whole time that it's building up to something, though it's hard to guess exactly what. The finale does a great job walking the tightrope of delivering something shocking that still makes sense to the character arcs they had developed throughout the film.
The casting is also a riot. Googling AnnaLynne McCord makes you realize how far they went transforming this potential runway model into a grotesque teen. Also, the puritanical mom is played by former teen pornstar Traci Lords, it's my first time seeing Ariel Winter outside Modern Family and I am always pleased with a nice John Waters cameo.