The Stream: Generic characters, obvious plot devices and garbled crosstalk may frustrate some viewers.

The Big Screen: A clever twist on a familiar genre pulls you right in.

The Final Bill: A clever premise despite some obvious and frustrating detours makes for a good streaming experience.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Greg Jardin
Writers: Greg Jardin
Stars: Brittany O’Grady, James Morosini, David Thompson, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Devon Terrell
Genre: Comedy, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Mystery
Rating: R for pervasive language, sexual content, drug use and some violent content.
Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes
Production Companies: Such Content, Boldly Go Productions, Edith Productions
Platform: On Netflix on October 4, 2024
Notable Trailers: Woman of the Hour, Emilia Perez, The Platform 2

Hey, Streamers! Netflix seems to release things out of nowhere with literally no fanfare. It’s What’s Inside is one of those new releases that you probably haven’t heard about. In this movie, a group of former college friends reunite on the night before one of their weddings. When their estranged friend, Forbes (David Thompson) shows up, tensions rise as issues from the past percolate and the night goes awry. This movie is somewhat of a dark comedy and somewhat of a sci-fi, thriller; therefore, drug-induced, mind-bending hijinks ensue.

It’s What’s Inside is one of those movies that is best seen knowing as little information as possible. I tried to be pretty vague with the synopsis above. Nevertheless, Greg Jardin, the writer-director of this film, has come up with a really unique and interesting twist on the house party, friends-reunited genre. Some may compare this movie to Bodies Bodies Bodies, which it has a lot of similarities to; but, there are some interesting twists and turns making it a very engaging experience. Now, some twists work better than others and the movie does lose some steam in the final third. The characters are pretty one dimensional, so the plot of the movie must be strong throughout because you won’t care about any of these characters as they’re really just plot devices. The cast of largely unknown actors helps make them generic and blend into the machinations of the film’s premise. These weaknesses did make me pretty frustrated and annoyed by the end.

On a side note: I feel like the sound is off. There’s a lot of crosstalk in the beginning that makes it very difficult to follow. I assume that’s by design, but there has to be a better way to capture the feeling of a party. Robert Altman is famous for this crosstalk device, but it’s not as successfully utilized by Greg Jardin.

Ultimately, It’s What’s Inside is an engaging and fun movie built on a really intriguing premise. Although the movie loses steam in the final third and the characters are pretty bland, the twist on this house party genre with the added elements of thrillers, comedies and sci-fi make this a unique viewing experience. Stream on Netflix knowing as little as possible with a bowl of popcorn and a wisely chosen group of friends.