Slanted

Slanted is a unique little movie that feels like a fun cross between Mean Girls and The Substance - if The Substance focused more on race than about age, that is.

In this film, an insecure Chinese-American teenager undergoes experimental surgery to make her appear white. However, hoping to win the prom queen title and the acceptance of her peers, Joan's "dream come true" soon becomes an emotional and physical nightmare.

You should know, however, that Slanted isn't exactly a body-horror film. Sure, there are moments of body-horror sprinkled throughout, but those moments only help to elevate the overall story about youth and adolescence.

So, if you're a squeamish person with a weak stomach, you don't have too much to worry about here. Conversely, if you're a horror fan who happens to love the body-horror genre, you may find this movie to be a bit disappointing.

Personally, I think the film strikes a good balance between several different genres. This is more than just a simple horror movie; it's also a sharp satire and an engaging coming-of-age film. Meaning that there are plenty of sweet and tender moments to balance out the more horrific, comical, and downright absurd ones.

Plus, I also found Joan's internal struggle to be a relatable one. As a third generation Mexican-American, I questioned my place in society all of the time when I was younger. I didn't quite relate to my Mexican heritage but I also didn't exactly fit in with American culture. It took me a long time to come to terms with my own identity. So I  understand why Joan feels the way she does in this movie. Not that I condone any of her actions; I just fundamentally connected with her struggle way more than I was expecting to.

If you want a more grounded and realistic telling of that tale, I would recommend the 2024 film Dìdi. That movie tells the story of a young Taiwanese-American boy who struggles with his cultural identity in the early 2000s. Which is the same time period that I grew up in, so I fundamentally relate to that story as well.

But there's another reason why Slanted reminds me of Dìdi; Shirley Chen stars in both films! And she's fantastic! She may have had a small, supporting role in Dìdi, but it was an important one that I remember quite vividly. So I'm glad that she's been given the chance to lead a film now.

Or, co-lead I should say, since she does share a role with Mckenna Grace. Who is also great here! They two actresses do a wonderful job of portraying the same character.

The rest of the cast is also really good. Fang Du and Vivian Wu are both great as Joan's immigrant parents. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is solid as one of Joan's only friends. Amelie Zilber is really fun as a Mean Girl type character. And every actor who does their best "white" impersonation is absolutely hilarious.

I don't think the film's sense of humor will work for everyone, but it definitely did work for me! As did the tone and the general premise of the story being told, for that matter.

Yes, this is a satirical movie about race, but it's also a surprisingly sweet story about a character who eventually learns to love herself and her culture. It's just a shame that she has to go through a horrific Carrie-like situation to get to that point.

Will the movie be as revered as other similar horror films like The Substance or even Get Out? Probably not. But I definitely think it deserves to be. Because absolutely love this movie, and I'll gladly watch whatever director Amy Wang decides to work on next!

Slanted would definitely get a recommendation from me.