Breaking Down the Mind-Bending Ending of Netflix Horror It’s What’s Inside

As a seasoned film enthusiast with over three decades of cinematic exploration under my belt, I must say that “It’s What’s Inside” has left quite an impression on me. This low-budget gem, reminiscent of a twisted fusion between “The Big Chill,” “Freaky Friday,” and the eerie depth of “Black Mirror,” is a refreshing take on the body-swapping genre.

The concept of body-swapping in horror movies is nothing new. Just think about Christopher Landon’s Freaky, Joe Lynch’s Suitable Flesh, and, of course, Jordan Peele’s inimitable Get Out.

In those movies, the swapping takes place unwillingly by at least one or both parties involved. Conversely, in Greg Jardin’s directorial debut film “It’s What’s Inside“, a group of college friends who are gathering for a pre-wedding celebration decide to switch minds intentionally – with unfortunate consequences.

After creating a buzz at Sundance, the unique blend of low-cost production and high-idea horror-comedy is now available for streaming on Netflix, having been acquired earlier this year for a substantial $17 million, one of the festival’s most significant sales. As Jardin explained to IndieWire, the film was originally pitched as a mix between “The Big Chill” and “Freaky Friday,” with undertones of “Black Mirror.” He initially conceived it as a straightforward sci-fi comedy, but as he developed the story, he decided to incorporate a darker tone while still maintaining humor.

The setup

Breaking Down the Mind-Bending Ending of Netflix Horror It’s What’s Inside

The film initiates with the main character Shelby (Brittany O’Grady), who is uneasy, attempting and unsuccessfully persuading her boyfriend Cyrus (James Morosini) to participate in a role-play involving a blonde wig. This scene hints at Shelby’s concerns about Cyrus’ preference for women who don’t resemble her, notably their former college companion-turned-social media star Nikki (Alycia Debnam-Carey).

After facing some difficulties, the couple attends a pre-wedding gathering at the unique estate of the deceased mother of the groom-to-be, their acquaintance Reuben (Devon Terrell). At this event, they reconnect with their college group consisting of Brooke, an artsy partygoer (Reina Hardesty), Dennis, a trust-fund recipient (Gavin Leatherwood), the spiritual explorer Maya (Nina Bloomgarden), and Nikki.

All of a sudden, there’s a knock on the door. It’s Forbes (David Thompson), an old friend who’s been estranged for years, having left college due to a party-related incident involving his troubled younger sister, Beatrice (Madison Davenport). Forbes, who’s now spent eight years in tech, presents the group with an intriguing proposition: they can test out his team’s latest creation – a game housed within a suitcase. This game allows temporary and random body swaps for everyone involved.

At first, no one is aware of what they’re signing up for. However, the group, even though Shelby was hesitant at first, eventually decides to take part in events beyond the initial one, which includes a second and third round. Predictably, a terrifying chaos soon erupts.

The twist

Breaking Down the Mind-Bending Ending of Netflix Horror It’s What’s Inside

In the movie Jardin, it’s easy to follow who’s inhabiting whose body. However, things get intensely philosophical when Reuben and Brooke, occupying Dennis and Maya’s bodies, plummet from a collapsing balcony during an intimate moment and die instantly. Now, the remaining group must figure out what to do since two of their bodies are now damaged and uninhabitable.

In disagreement about their course of action, the survivors separated into different groups, scheming to deceive each other for personal gain. However, they were all unwittingly manipulated from the start as it was actually Beatrice controlling Forbes’ actions. We later discover that Beatrice had taken over Forbes’ body and his device to seek retribution for an incident at a party many years ago. This party culminated in a violent altercation between Forbes and Dennis, who had been dating Nikki at the time. Dennis had inappropriately pursued a relationship with Beatrice, a minor, leading to her hospitalization.

In the final scenes of the film, it’s just Shelby and Cyrus who manage to return to their original bodies. Unfortunately for Cyrus, he must bear the responsibility for Reuben and Brooke’s deaths as he had called the police while inhabiting Cyrus’ body and claimed to have pushed them. Meanwhile, Maya finds herself stuck in Brooke’s body, Nikki is trapped in Reuben’s, Dennis is now in Forbes’, and Beatrice, who moved Dennis’ trust-fund money into her offshore account, ends up in Nikki’s body instead.

In a sequence of events, Beatrice (under the alias Nikki) is observed driving away toward the sunset with her luggage, followed by a recollection of past incidents. At that time, she was inhabiting Forbes’ body. She elaborates on the machine’s addictive quality, stating, “Each new body you inhabit offers a fresh slice of the human experience.” Over time, she admits, there comes an urge to keep switching bodies.

2024-10-05 01:06