‘Slanted’ Review: Satirical Body Horror About Assimilation and Beauty Engages, but Never Gets Under the Skin

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In his biting 1931 satire, titled “Black No More,” author George Schuyler envisions a world where African Americans can opt for a groundbreaking surgical procedure to transform themselves into white individuals. This innovative treatment, devised by a slippery scientist, gains immense popularity as people yearn to evade discrimination and enjoy the advantages of being white. The novel delves into ideas about assimilation and racial boundaries. If everyone belonged to the same race, wouldn’t racism and its associated violence vanish, one might assume?

As I sat down to watch Amy Wang’s impressive directorial debut, Slanted, I found myself constantly drawn back to Schuyler’s novel. The movie, which won the narrative feature competition at SXSW, shares a similar theme. It focuses on Joan Huang (Shirley Chen from Sundance hit Didi), a Chinese-American teenager yearning to be prom queen in a town that seems like Anywhere, U.S.A. However, this isn’t your typical Main Street; it’s a surrealistic version cleverly brought to life by Wang and production designer Ying-Te Julie Chen. In this place, the prom queen has always been a white blonde with blue eyes. Their pictures line the school hallway, reminding Joan of her perceived limitations every time she passes by. Her friend Brindha (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan from Never Have I Ever, delivering a strong performance) suggests this could be the year to challenge that status quo, but Joan isn’t sure. When an opportunity to become white arises, the ambitious teen hesitates for a moment, but ultimately doesn’t think twice.

In this captivating production, Wang, the director and screenwriter behind “The Brothers Sun” and “From Scratch,” skillfully creates an intriguing satire with elements of body horror woven in. The film delves into the themes of immigration and assimilation, contemplating how the sense of estrangement can pave the way for harsh realities associated with integration. While “Slanted” may prompt comparisons to Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance” (a body horror commentary on societal issues), “Mean Girls” (a humorous portrayal of contemporary high-school life) and “Didi” (thoughtful insights into first- and second-generation immigrants), it is “Black No More” that serves as its primary influence. Much like the protagonist in Schuyler’s novel, Joan undergoes a transformation for the same reason – she believes that whiteness holds the key to a more prosperous life.

However, while Schuyler challenged that notion with harsh depictions and grim outcomes, Wang adopts a softer and occasionally foreseeable stance. The movie, though bluntly titled, could be more biting in its critique. It shares the same struggle as many modern satirical films that aim to mock and romanticize.

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Schuyler challenged the notion with harsh depictions and grim conclusions, but Wang takes a softer, at times predictable approach. The title of the film is blunt, but it could be more biting in its critique. It faces similar challenges as many contemporary satirical films that strive to mock while also sentimentalizing.

Although “Slanted” may not always reach the heights of satire, director Wang demonstrates a strong command of her craft. The movie boasts several well-executed sequences, such as one featuring salad bowls and a group reminiscent of popular cliques like the Plastics. Moreover, Chen and McKenna Grace (known for her role in “Young Sheldon” and playing Joan post-procedure) deliver convincing and emotional performances under Wang’s direction.

The story begins in 2015 when a young girl named Joan (Kristen Cui) arrives in America with her family, experiencing embarrassment on her first day at school as children ridicule her eyes and lunch. In an effort to survive, Joan believes assimilation is the solution, which she decides can be accomplished by winning the title of prom queen – a concept she learns about after spending an evening with her dad (Fang Du) at his workplace, a high school where he’s a janitor. As he cleans the floors, Joan wanders into the gym, where prom is taking place, and is captivated by the elegance of the adorned recreational area and the admiration bestowed upon the crowned blonde.

Around seven years ago, I found myself, a self-proclaimed Swiftie and Carpenterrific, waking up for another day at school. My room was a sanctuary dedicated to my white idols, from the graceful Taylor Swift to the captivating Sabrina Carpenter. Every morning, I’d pinch my nose with a clothespin in a desperate attempt to make it longer, like theirs. I spent countless hours online, transforming myself into an unrecognizable version of myself behind layers of filters.

Author Wang carefully paints the picture of my daily life before delving into the dark core of this beauty nightmare. We get a glimpse of my admiration for my father and my strained relationship with my mother, Vivian Wu. We also witness my place in the social hierarchy of my high school.

Following Joan receiving a DM from the company Ethnos, her excitement springs to action. A tempting free hair-dyeing service catches her attention, leading her to a medical office hidden within a barbershop. Overwhelmed by the transformation and the attention it brings from popular peers, she revisits the location a few days later for a more extensive procedure. The film’s most impactful scenes unfold at the Ethnos clinic managed by Willie (R. Keith Harris), who was previously Black. He passionately discusses the advantages of the surgery and presents comedic video testimonials to support his claims, similar to Dr. Crookman in “Black No More.” Willie emphasizes that Joan’s life will improve significantly.

For a short while, at least, Joan – now known as Jo Hunt, portrayed by Grace – captivates everyone upon exiting the clinic. Scenes that highlight her newfound authority share the same lively spirit as initial Key & Peele sketches.

However, the middle portion of the story seems to lack the vigor displayed in both the initial setup and the climactic, more suspenseful finale. It’s during Jo’s transition into her new life where the opportunity arose for Wang to introduce more humor and delve deeper into the consequences of Jo’s aspirations for assimilation. In her new social circle, Jo befriends Olivia (Amelie Zilber), the school’s most popular girl, but at the expense of other relationships. There are touching scenes between Jo and her parents, as well as Brindha, who feels deceived. A more sinister twist, particularly related to Jo’s fixation on being prom queen, could have invigorated the film’s midsection by elevating the tension.

As the teenager approaches the significant date, she encounters unforeseen complications from her surgery. Her former appearance seems to resurface, causing her newly reconstructed face to droop. To preserve her image, Jo is forced to physically remove pieces of her skin. The narrative takes a turn into body horror as the teenager’s distress intensifies. She becomes so consumed with concealing her peeling facial skin from others that a new level of desperation arises. Although the story does not always maintain the same frenzied intensity, it effectively delves into a poignant kind of sorrow.

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2025-03-13 21:24