Games like Mafia or One Night Ultimate Werewolf are fun because they give people the chance to take on roles and to use critical thinking skills to deduce who’s lying and who’s telling the truth. But they also have the potential to create very awkward moments by bringing out real emotions betrayed under the guise of playing a part, and to create divisions in friendships based on harsh truths accidentally revealed. Sundance hit It’s What’s Inside, which was acquired by Netflix ahead of its SXSW premiere, dials that up a few levels in the best possible way…
It’s What’s Inside opens on Shelby (Brittany O'Grady) stalking the Instagram of influencer Nikki (Alycia Debnam-Carey), imitating her voice and putting on a blonde wig to try to entice her boyfriend Cyrus (James Morosini). Their relationship clearly needs work, and it’s hardly the best time for them to attend the pre-wedding festivities for their college friend Reuben (Devon Terrell). Among the other guests they haven’t seen in a while are Nikki, Dennis (Gavin Leatherwood), Brooke (Reina Hardesty), and Maya (Nina Bloomgarden). When another friend who had a falling out with the group, Forbes (David W. Thompson), shows up with a game he’d like everyone to try, things get weird and there’s no going back.
The less said about this absolutely fantastic film the better, and it’s something that audiences should experience without knowing anything more. What is worth commending without giving anything away is the speed with which it manages to convey who each of its characters are. Running just 102 minutes, there shouldn’t be nearly as much time for exposition as there is, yet by the time the mystery game begins, critical pieces of past relationships and romances are already discernible, no small feat for a film with eight main characters.
This cast is also terrific, led by O’Grady, best known for her underappreciated role in season one of The White Lotus. Morosini makes a welcome return to SXSW after premiering the hilarious I Love My Dad at the festival two years ago, and his part is particularly challenging because he exhibits such unlikable qualities yet still has to be somewhat sympathetic. The rest of the ensemble is just as great, each tapping into hidden elements of their characters that make them immensely worthwhile and difficult to forget.
While its title and its classification in the midnight sections at both Sundance and SXSW may imply that it’s a horror film, It’s What’s Inside is most definitely not. It almost feels impossible to categorize, but it contains many funny, applause-worthy moments and a few scenes of tension that are more unnerving than scary. It boasts a stellar script from writer-director Greg Jardin, whose feature debut is extraordinary and should definitely be watched for any future projects. This is an exceptional film fully in its own league, one that should be anticipated and seen without giving in to the natural pressure to want to know more about the meaning of its title. A-
It’s What’s Inside is screening in the Midnighters section at the 2024 SXSW Film and TV Festival and will be released sometime this year by Netflix.