There are dozens of body-switching movies out there. But while most play the concept for cheap laughs, It’s What’s Inside pushes in the opposite direction, creating a twisty, slightly bonkers psychological thriller. It’s an interesting debut from writer/director Greg Jardin that is both engaging and thought provoking.
The story centers on a group of friends who are gathered for a pre-wedding party. It’s a group that seems to have a bunch of mismatched personalities, and you can sense there is some underlying tension between them all. But when an estranged friend after an incident 8 years prior arrives, things really get trippy. He brings with him a device that will allow them all to switch bodies. Although some are hesitant, they all agree to use the device to play a game in which you must guess which consciousness is in which body.
The strongest part of It’s What’s Inside is its script. It’s smart and uses the body-swapping device as a method for exploring parts of human nature, particularly how we perceive ourselves and those around us, instead of playing it just for laughs. There are darkly comedic moments, but everything serves the central point of the story. The script wisely shows that there are some underlying tension and resentment amongst the group before the body swapping begins, thereby keeping it from being completely unexpected when each starts to use the game to explore their hidden desires, their insecurities, to dig for secrets and to test the trust of others.
Ultimately, It’s What’s Inside poses the question as to what you would do if you could switch bodies with someone else. What lines would you draw? And, after things go wrong (of course things go wrong) what lengths would you go to, or sacrifices would you make to get your body back or keep the one you’re now in. In doing so, it provides a few clever twists along the way, keeping you guessing as to how it all may end.
Visually, It’s What’s Inside is quite interesting. The movie all takes place on a large estate that is essentially one large art exhibit. The bizarre nature of most of the artwork allows the estate to almost become a character itself and nicely adds to the overall eerie tone of the movie. It also makes effective use of light to differentiate between the character we see, and the underlying personality.
The cast is also quite good. They all have the difficult job of playing their central character, plus playing each other. Each cast member provides just enough of each personality that you can recognize them when the script calls for it but are able to hold back enough so that’s it’s never immediately obvious. It’s a tough balancing act, but every character, regardless of which body they are inhabiting at the time, feels fully realized. It’s quite impressive and amazing that it works at all. And credit to director Greg Jardin for never letting it get out of control. The body swapping could get confusing, but while you may not always know who’s who, you’re never left confused as to what’s happening.
Although It’s What’s Inside does pose interesting questions, it feels at times like it is holding back. It never seems to want to get as dark as the story might naturally allow. There are times when being is another’s body should be an absolute nightmare, but the movie never lets the tone get that dark, which might have made things even more interesting. It’s a minor drawback, but it seems there was more to explore.
Body-swapping movies are not unique, but It’s What’s Inside runs with the concept and provides a fresh take on it. While I wish it had gotten darker at times, a clever story and terrific performances make it an engaging and unsettling thriller. If you’re into psychological thrillers that pose interesting questions while providing enough twists to keep you guessing, It’s What’s Inside should be on your 'it’s what I need to see' watchlist.
Have you seen It's What's Inside? Are you planning to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.