Summary

It’s What’s Inside is a mind-bending horror-comedy that tells a fun, unique story. The film has tropes, but ultimately defies the horror genre. The film is a crowd-pleaser that will leave you wanting to watch it multiple times.

The real testament to a strong relationship is the ability to honestly communicate thoughts and feelings without the fear of retaliation. This complicated concept is so cleverly explored in Greg Jardin’s feature directorial debut It’s What’s Inside. College sweethearts Shelby (Brittany O’Grady) and Cyrus (James Morosini) struggle with their communication, and their attempt to light a romantic fire under their dying relationship fails at every turn. To rekindle their flame, the couple join an old college friend, Reuben (Devon Terrell), for a weekend get-away before he’s set to say “I do” to his fiancée Sophia.

It’s What’s Inside is a 2024 comedy horror-mystery film written and directed by Greg Jardin. When Cyrus is convinced to attend a pre-wedding party for his old friend, an estranged classmate shows up, causing the drama he sought to avoid and leading the entire event down a darkly comedic series of events. ProsThe film cleverly explores the nuances of human behavior The film’s twists and turns are excellent, as is the cast The horror film is some of the most fun you’ll have at the movies ConsIt’s What’s Inside can be overly ambitious

It’s What’s Inside Is An Intense Examination Of Human Behavior
The friend group includes internet influencer Nikki (Alycia Debnam-Carey), confident Brooke (Reina Hardesty), calm stoner Maya (Nina Bloomgarden), and hard-shelled Dennis (Gavin Leatherwood). All is well at the party until their estranged friend Forbes (David W. Thompson) shows up with a mysterious suitcase. What’s inside the case? Well, that’s something you definitely do not want spoiled for you. But let’s just say that it contains something that will reveal dark secrets and strong desires. It could either be their biggest nightmare or their greatest dream, and it will change the lives of these characters — for better or for worse.

As thrilling as the plot is, the direction matches it perfectly, which highlights the genre-blending and stylistic framing.

I can confidently say that Jardin’s It’s What’s Inside is some of the most fun I’ve had watching a film at a festival. The synopsis doesn’t come close to emphasizing the mayhem that ensues, but trust me when I say that it is bonkers! On the surface, this is your average friend reunion movie where something goes wrong, tensions rise, and the consequences play out drastically. But that is a serious understatement considering the themes. From social media obsession to the facades people put on to get their way, It’s What’s Inside dissects humans at their worst and best.

Jardin’s Direction Is Confident & Fearless
To emphasize just how crazy Jardin’s debut is, it’s important to share and celebrate his creative and fearless directorial choices. To put it plainly, his direction is psychologically dizzying, and I mean that as the greatest of compliments. As thrilling as the plot is, the direction matches it perfectly, which highlights the genre-blending and stylistic framing. To capture the human psyche under such complex circumstances is no easy feat. And though the script stretches into overly ambitious territory, it never crosses the line and instead welcomes you back for multiple viewings to catch the hints you might have missed.

As ambitious or complicated as the script may get, the film is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, entertaining the idea of horror tropes but structuring the story with clever twists and thrills that defy the genre. The film asks the ultimate question of, “Is it possible to truly know someone?” in innovative, hilarious, and thought-provoking ways. None of this would have been possible without the extremely convincing performances of the cast. Seriously, they deserve all the accolades for the challenges that come with conveying their characters, so much so that it’s often difficult to wrap your head around what they’re actually doing.

It’s What’s Inside is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, entertaining the idea of horror tropes but structuring the story with clever twists and thrills that defy the genre.

A mind-bending feature one could easily become obsessed over, It’s What’s Inside is sure to find its cult fan base very quickly. With intensely dizzying direction from Jardin and a script that masks its trickery behind pure entertainment, don’t be surprised if you find yourself begging for multiple viewings. The members of the cast sell their performances with exceptional precision and guile, which is sure to be the talk of the festival circuit this year. Do yourself a favor and add this to the top of your watch-list and don’t let anyone spoil it for you.

It’s What’s Inside premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The film has been picked up by Netflix and will release later this year.

It’s What’s Inside Release Date January 19, 2024 Director Greg Jardin Cast Brittany O’Grady , James Morosini , Alycia Debnam-Carey , Gavin Leatherwood , Devon Terrell , Nina Bloomgarden , Reina Hardesty , David W. Thompson , Madison Davenport Runtime 103 Minutes Writers Greg Jardin Studio(s) Such Content , Edith Productions , Boldly Go Productions