Sunday, February 28, 2016

DVD Review: Excess Flesh

I enjoy a good twisted film now and again. What’s great about Excess Flesh in particular is that it’s not only delightfully twisted, but it has something to say and it boasts a good, competent cast. The film stars Bethany Orr and Mary Loveless as roommates who have perhaps more than their fair share of problems, related to self-image and past abuse. When the film opens, we hear a conversation in an office dealing with fashion, in which Jennifer excitedly says she found a certain dress, and her boss, Nina, snaps at her, telling her it’s too big and that it would better fit her than the models, being insulting in addition to bitchy.

We then go to Jennifer’s apartment, where she happily models the dress for her roommate, Jill, saying: “Nina gave it to me just for being super cool. Plus, it didn’t fit any of the models.” Jennifer (Mary Loveless) is sexy, but comes across as superficial. And Jill (Bethany Orr) seems withdrawn and awkward. Their opening dialogue is presented mainly in close-ups, and from the side the two women are so close they could kiss. They both have straight reddish hair, light skin, and the similarities and closeness are very deliberate.

Early on, you’ll wonder how these two became friends and roommates. Jennifer says that Jill has been living there for nine months without working, without paying rent. And she tells her she has to get out there and get a job. But Jill doesn’t leave the apartment. And interestingly, neither do we. The film uses lots of close-ups to give us a claustrophobic feel, and we spend more time with Jill, staying with her perspective. But all questions about their friendship and relationship are answered (and hints are there all along, like when Jill makes reference to the film Last Year At Marienbad during the early party scene).

The drug of choice for these women is food. And even the models at the party at Jill’s apartment discuss food, and indulge themselves to a point. And there is a shot of Jill alone in her room eating food, then spitting some of it out in the trash next to her, clearly loving the taste but worried about her weight. The scene is allowed to go on for a while, and gets more intense as she begins slapping herself in the head. This girl is not okay. And we learn it may not be entirely her fault; when we’re introduced to her mother (through a phone conversation over her laptop), Jill seems almost fine by comparison.

And when Jill takes a bigger step into the Weird, at first you feel she’s even justified. Jennifer has promised to talk things out, but has continued to flake on her and proceed with her own self-destructive behavior. So Jill chains her to the wall. Jennifer tells her, “Don’t go any farther.” Jill simply smiles in response. This is such a great moment. And later when Jennifer is screaming, Jill whispers to her, “Just remember, everyone can hear you and, by the way, no one cares.”

Everyone is troubled in this film. Even Rob, the guy that likes Jill, seems at times awkward and unsure of himself. At one point he says he’s going back to the real world, something we the audience are never allowed to do (though we are teased with exterior establishing shots of Los Angeles). The film creates a tight and eerie atmosphere, and you feel that at any moment things could go horribly wrong. Even shots of food are made creepy. And there are plenty of shots of food, as the film shows the ecstasy of food as well as the repulsiveness of it. (I wouldn’t recommend trying to eat while watching this DVD.)

The film’s two leads (Bethany Orr and Mary Loveless) really go for it, and the film’s success relies a good deal on their performances. There is also really interesting use of sound throughout the film. And I love that this psychological horror film is about conflicting feelings about one’s self, and that it depicts a world in which people have trouble communicating, and most attempts at communication are done through food. I started watching this movie again, and I am enjoying it even more the second time through. The only thing that didn’t quite work for me is the weird fantasy sequence involving a sort of reality television program, which went on much too long.

Excess Flesh was directed by Patrick Kennelly, and is scheduled to be released on DVD and VOD on March 8, 2016 through Midnight Releasing. The DVD includes a music video for “I Don’t Race,” as well as two trailers for the film.

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