TIFF 2024 Review: Shell
Shell (2024)
Directed by Max Minghella
Starring Elisabeth Moss, Kate Hudson, Kaia Gerber, Arian Moayed, and Este Haim
As seen at Shell’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). All images courtesy of TIFF.
Max Minghella’s follow-up to his debut film Teen Spirit (2018) once again focuses on a female protagonist. Elisabeth Moss stars as Samantha, an aging actress best known for the self-described “cheesy” TV show Have a Heart. We first meet her at an audition where every other actress embodies Hollywood’s youth and beauty. Moss loses the role to a girl she had babysat just ten years earlier. Later, her agents call her in and, while respecting her decision to avoid “nips and tucks” up to this point, suggest that it’s time for a change. That change is a wellness company called Shell.
Shell is owned and operated by Zoe Shannon, played with vapid perfection by Kate Hudson. After reluctantly undergoing the procedure and inexplicably befriending Shannon, Samantha’s acting career starts to look up. The smart script weaves social commentary into a blend of humor and horror. It never gets too preachy, isn’t laugh-out-loud funny, and doesn’t fully commit to being a horror film. Minghella walks a tightrope between genre film and conscientious drama, and I appreciated it.
However, fans of what is now called “body horror” may find it doesn’t meet or subvert their expectations. Likewise, fans of preachy “women boss” dramas like Hidden Figures (2016) and Hustlers (2019) might think this film is having too much fun and not delivering enough overwrought dialogue.
The beginning and ending of the film lean into the horror aspect, which may lead other reviewers to call it “bonkers” or “unhinged,” but it isn’t really either. Shell is a refreshingly balanced character study of a person who isn’t happy with who they are. It just happens to take place in a world with an automated yellow-and-checkered taxi service, 3×4 aspect ratio televisions, and phones that double as bracelets.
Recommended