Running Time: 109 Minutes
Certification: 18
Starring: Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ane Dahl Torp, Flo Fagerli, Isac Calmroth
Despite originating with darker elements to their stories, fairy-tales hold a family-friendly reputation amongst certain generations. This is certainly due to popular interpretations released by a certain company with a mouse-eared mascot, but The Ugly Stepsister seeks to distance itself by tapping into the dark source material. There is not a hint of Bippidi-Bobbidi-Boo to this take on Cinderella, focusing less on a fairy godmother in favour of a more Brothers Grimm approach.
It begins with a fantasy tinged in a pink colour, as Elvira (Lea Myren) reads a book of beautiful poems written by the kingdom's handsome prince. Her dreamy desires unfold within a carriage ride, as Elvira and her sister, Alma, arrive at their new home courtesy of their widowed mother remarrying. Living with their new step-father, and beautiful stepsister Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss), the future appears bright for this blended family. That future is soon shattered when tragedy strikes, as the stepfather's sudden death reveals that he did not actually have any money, leaving the remaining family seeking for a new way to become wealthy.
An opportunity arises as the kingdom's Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth) seeks a virginal bride, with all applicants being invited to the ball. Elvira sees this as her chance to marry the man that she loves from afar, but her hopes wilter due to comments about her looks. In a kingdom where beauty is prized above all things, the stepsister readies herself to get the happy ending she has always dreamed of, no matter what torment she must endure to achieve it.
With this unique take on Cinderella, writer/director Emilie Blichfeldt crafts a dark and gruesome story that matches the repellent world these characters inhabit. Misogyny runs rife in this kingdom, as beauty standards and virginity are prioritized in women, while anybody who subverts the unachievable feminine ideal are treated horrendously. There is a lot on this films mind, as it unsettlingly captures the lengths taken to achieve such imagined perfection.
At the centre of it all is Elvira, whose dreams of marrying the prince are beset by the difficult reality of what it takes. With talks of needing to "tame" her nose, the girl undergoes a barbaric beauty regime to prevent her aspirations from falling apart. Myren delivers an exceptionally expressive performance, depicting the physical and mental toll it all takes on Elvira as she tries working against the unforgiving scorn aimed at her physical appearance. Even when advice is given about what is inside truly counting, it is another blow made against the poor girl's looks.
Casting a large shadow over her stepsister is Agnes, who begins as the beautiful ideal that appears fated for the overall happy ending. But, as she follows her heart and seeks happiness over what is expected, this insert for Cinderella is punished for her desires by having what she loves taken from her. Her only real desire is to bury her father, but even that cannot be achieved due to Rebekka prioritizing other financial costs.
Speaking of which, Rebekka (Ane Dahl Torp) is the matriarch who desires financial riches regardless of what her daughters want. It is clear that she sees Elvira as merely a pawn, taking whatever lengths possible to achieve her desired outcome, so banks the families future on her eldest daughter's transformation into a successful marriage prospect. Torp effectively captures this stepmother with no qualms about using her daughters, be they biological or by marriage, in order to rise within this world suffocated by beauty standards.
It is also worth mentioning that this film truly earns its 18-rating, offering unflinching depictions of sex, death, and the ways bodies are augmented. It is grimy stuff that unforgettably reinforces the film's themes, while also offering skin-crawling scenes involving parasites and eyes. Utilizing body horror to focus on archaic beauty standards, The Ugly Stepsister is a fantastic subversion of the Cinderella fairy tale.
The Ugly Stepsister is available in US Cinemas now and UK Cinemas from 25th April. It will be available to purchase across digital platforms from 9th May.
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