Some films are designed purely to entertain, while others exist to spark conversation. Slanted firmly lands in the latter category. It’s a sharp, uncomfortable satire that blends high school drama, body horror, and social commentary into a story that is bound to make some viewers uneasy. Personally, I’m here for it.
Written and directed by Amy Wang, Slanted tackles identity, beauty standards, and belonging in America through an audacious genre lens. The film keeps its message loud and unapologetic, using satire and horror to explore the pressures many people feel to fit into narrow definitions of beauty and success.
At its center is Joan Huang, played by Shirley Chen, a high school student who moved from China to the United States with her parents years earlier and still struggles to find her place in a predominantly white community. Joan idolizes the popular girls at school and dreams of becoming prom queen, but everywhere she looks she sees the same image repeated again and again — beauty, popularity, and social acceptance all wrapped in one familiar look.
When a mysterious cosmetic clinic called Ethnos offers Joan an opportunity to transform herself into the version of beauty she believes the world wants, she takes it. After the procedure, Joan wakes up as “Jo Hunt,” played by Mckenna Grace, a blonde version of the person she always thought she needed to become.
But the transformation brings more than just a new face.
Satire That Cuts Close to Reality
What Slanted does particularly well is confront the idea of how acceptance is often constructed around appearance. The film constantly questions what it means to belong in America and how often beauty, popularity, and opportunity are framed through a narrow lens.
Using body horror as a metaphor, the story exaggerates the pressure to reinvent oneself in order to be accepted. It’s uncomfortable at times because many of the moments in the film echo experiences people have heard about, witnessed, or lived through themselves.
That familiarity gives the film its edge. The satire may be heightened, but the emotions underneath it feel grounded in reality.
The film occasionally feels like it’s pulling from familiar territory, blending elements reminiscent of high school social hierarchies seen in Mean Girls with the unsettling body horror themes that made The Substance such a powerful conversation starter. However, Slanted ultimately carves its own lane by centering race and identity within that genre framework.
Two Performances, One Character
One of the film’s most interesting creative choices is splitting Joan’s character across two performers.
Shirley Chen establishes Joan’s vulnerability early in the film, capturing the awkwardness and insecurity of someone still trying to understand where they belong. Her performance grounds the emotional stakes of the story.
When the transformation occurs, Mckenna Grace steps into the role as Jo Hunt, pushing the story further into its horror and psychological territory. Grace handles the shift effectively, portraying a character who quickly discovers that changing her appearance doesn’t magically solve the deeper struggles she’s been carrying.
In many ways, the second half of the film becomes an internal conflict played out through a different face.
Voices That Keep the Film Grounded
While Joan’s transformation drives the narrative, the surrounding characters help anchor the film emotionally.
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan plays Joan’s best friend and acts as the film’s moral compass, grounding the story whenever the satire threatens to spiral too far into absurdity. Her presence keeps the film connected to the emotional consequences of Joan’s choices.
Meanwhile, Amelie Zilber fully embraces the archetype of the high school queen bee, leaning into the “mean girl” energy that fuels many of the film’s social dynamics.
The story also makes space for Joan’s family, reminding viewers of the sacrifices immigrant families often make while trying to build a new life. Those moments bring a surprising emotional weight to the film and reinforce that the story isn’t just about appearance — it’s about identity, belonging, and remembering where you come from.
Horror as a Tool for Conversation
Although the film contains body horror elements, it never loses sight of the bigger themes driving the story. Amy Wang uses genre storytelling as a tool to push the conversation further rather than relying purely on shock value.
The horror elements work best when they reinforce the film’s core ideas about identity and the pressure to conform to social expectations.
That balance between satire, horror, and emotional storytelling allows the film to explore serious subject matter without becoming overly heavy-handed.
Final Verdict
Slanted is a bold and uncomfortable satire that uses body horror and high school drama to explore identity, belonging, and the cost of chasing acceptance in America.
While the film occasionally feels like it could push its horror elements even further, Amy Wang’s directorial debut still delivers a compelling story that raises difficult questions about beauty standards, identity, and the pressure to fit into narrow definitions of success.
From Bleecker Street and Tideline Entertainment, Slanted opens in theaters nationwide on March 13, 2026.
Watch: Amelie Zilber & Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Interview
Watch: Amy Wang & Shirley Chen Interview
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I’m a dedicated aficionado of all things movies, pop culture, and entertainment. With a passion for storytelling and a love for the silver screen, I’m constantly immersed in the world of cinema, exploring new releases, classics, and hidden gems alike. As a fervent advocate for the power of film to inspire, entertain, and provoke thought, I enjoy sharing my insights, reviews, and recommendations with fellow enthusiasts.