Tags:
Film: The Ugly Stepsister (Den stygge stesøsteren)
Year: 2025
Director: Emilie Blichfeldt
Writer: Emilie Blichfeldt
Starring: Lea Myren, Ane Dahl Torp and Thea Sofie Loch Næss
Review:
This is a film that I learned about through a press release. The information that I saw intrigued me. I couldn’t get a screener or catch this when it showed at my local theater. When I learned, this was coming to Shudder, I ended up watching it that night. I also made it a featured review for my podcast, Journey with a Cinephile. I’ve also now given it a second watch for my end of year list.
Synopsis: follows Elvira (Lea Myren) as she battles against her gorgeous stepsister in a realm were beauty reigns supreme. She resorts to extreme measures to captivate the prince, amidst a ruthless competition for physical perfection.
We start this learning that Elvira is a dreamer. She’s in a carriage with her mother, Rebekka (Ane Dahl Torp), and sister, Alma (Flo Fagerli). They’re coming to a manor that belongs to Otto (Ralph Carlsson). Rebekka marries him. He has a daughter of his own, Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss). She plays host to her new stepsisters.
This night though ends in tragedy. Elvira gets mocked by having cake thrown in her face. She laughs it off though. Otto then has a heart attack and dies. It is here that Rebekka makes a horrible discovery. He’s broke. There isn’t much money to even plan a funeral. This upsets Agnes. She lashes out at Elvira, who wants to be her friend.
Rebekka treats Agnes horrible in turn. The younger woman doesn’t understand why there isn’t enough money to give a proper burial for her father. The money is instead spent on getting Elvira’s braces removed and her getting a nose job. The reason for this is because the local prince, Julian (Isac Calmroth), and his father the king are throwing a ball. The prince is looking for a bride. This is Elvira’s dream. She has his book of poems that’s been published and is infatuated with him.
Agnes and Elvira are sent to a local finishing school run by Sophie von Kronenberg (Cecilia Forss). It is here that Elvira’s good nature is broken. She is bullied and mocked. Miss Sophie works with Madame Vanja (Katarzyna Herman) who offers Elvira a gift. She has a sweet tooth and struggles to lose weight. The item she’s given is an egg for a tapeworm. Changes come over Elvira through her abuse. Agnes has her own trials to go through to attend this ball. She gets help in the form of the supernatural in this dark retelling of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’ll start here is with that last idea in my recap. I knew coming in that this was a horror take on Cinderella. What I love though is that we’re telling this from the point of view of one of the wicked ‘stepsisters’. I like what they do there is having all the characters start out as being likeable. It is just the more that we meet them, the greyer they become.
Now that I have that set up, let’s start with our lead character of Elvira. Initially happy-go-lucky and smitten with Prince Julian from his poetry, she's disillusioned upon meeting him while he's hunting, as he's rude. Agnes, initially kind, drops her facade after her father's death, and her mother even critiques her appearance. At finishing school, her naive nature becomes callous like the other women. The character arc, particularly Myren's portrayal, is compelling, making the stepsister's perspective interesting.
I then want to shift over to Agnes. The ball requires all women to be virgins, fitting the historical setting. Prince Julian is known to be sexually experienced, as evidenced by comments around Elvira. Agnes is in love with Isak (Malte Gårdinger), a stable boy. Elvira discovers them and informs her mother, leading to punishment. During Elvira's beautification, Agnes is nicknamed Cinderella. Subtle supernatural elements appear when Agnes sees her mother, Agnieszka Zulewska. Her torn dress is also mended with assistance.
Something I want to then shift over to is social commentary. Rebekka, who married Otto for his wealth. It turns out he agreed for the same reason. She is now punishing him and Agnes, claiming they lack funds for his burial. Agnes notes Elvira's extensive beautification, a contrast to Agnes's natural beauty. Rebekka relies on Elvira to secure a rich husband at the ball, believing her daughter is their only hope for maintaining their lifestyle.
Let’s then bring in filmmaking aspects here. This body horror film cleverly uses body modification for beauty, with Elvira undergoing braces, a nose job by Dr. Esthétique (Adam Lundgren) and intentionally acquiring a tapeworm, exploring themes of disordered eating. An iconic Cinderella element is also incorporated, evoking a cringe reaction I appreciate. The film relies heavily on effective practical effects, with seamless CGI enhancing rather than dominating. This aspect of the film successfully made me cringe, which I consider a credit.
Then to finish out with this part of the movie. The cinematography and framing helped to hide the seams. Something else to include is low self-esteem and body image issues. How they craft shots of Elvira, when she is self-conscious was good. This is something that is prevalent today, so I like exploring it through a story set in the past. I wanted to make sure I gave credit here. Other than that, the soundtrack fits what was needed. If I have a gripe from both watches, this does run too long. Trimming ten minutes would greatly benefit in my opinion.
All that is left then is acting performances. Myren shines as the lead, offering an intriguing journey from naïveté to villainy as a stepsister. Torp effectively portrays the misguided mother, driven by greed. Loch Næss embodies the classic heroine with natural beauty. Fagerli's grounded portrayal of the younger sister, Alma, is overlooked by others. The supporting cast, including the finishing school women and the judges Forss, Herman, along with Calmroth and Gårdinger, rounded out the production well.
In conclusion, this offers a compelling and dark reinterpretation of the Cinderella fairy tale, told from the unique perspective of one of the 'wicked' stepsisters. Director Emilie Blichfeldt expertly weaves together a narrative that explores themes of beauty, societal pressures and the corrupting influence of ambition. With strong performances, particularly from Myren as Elvira and a skillful blend of practical effects and social commentary on body image, the film successfully delivers a cringeworthy yet thought-provoking experience. While its runtime could benefit from some trimming, its fresh take on a classic story and effective filmmaking make it a noteworthy watch for those seeking a genre-bending horror.
My Rating: 8 out of 10