TIFF Review: ‘Shell’ Has Fun with Body Horror Lite

Miracle treatments always come with a catch, and if signing up for one requires an NDA, it’s probably a good idea to read all the terms and conditions. But when someone decides – or is told – that they need to take drastic action, that’s not usually a time where clear thinking prevails and the consequences are properly considered. Max Minghella’s body horror film Shell finds its protagonist opting for a way to stay young forever, a process that, from the start, should be hopelessly obvious to her as something that’s not going to come without side effects.

Samantha (Elisabeth Moss) was once the star of a hit TV show, which her latest date insists on pointing out was really not very good, but she’s had a lot of trouble getting a role lately. After she loses out on a part to Chloe (Kaia Gerber), someone she used to babysit, she’s told that, while her eagerness to age gracefully and naturally is admirable, it’s not doing her any favors. The solution? Shell, a company run by Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson), which purports to keep you young for years. After Samantha undergoes her first treatment, Zoe befriends her, taking a special interest in her latest client. Things are going great for Samantha from there, until she starts to notice marks on her skin that definitely aren’t supposed to be there.

This is quite a departure for Minghella, best known as an actor on The Handmaid’s Tale, whose first feature as a director, Teen Spirit, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival back in 2018. That music drama couldn’t be further from this film, not just in terms of genre but also in terms of the nature and authenticity of its characters. Samantha feels real and grounded in logic and common sense, frustrated with her lack of success and the need to look younger when, as she points out, an actress can’t be that young if she’s going to play a divorced single mother with two kids. Zoe lives in a completely different world, convinced that, with the right spin, any situation can be marketed properly and sold to an eager public. If she can live forever, why follow any other rules?

In a year filled with body horror including A Different Man and fellow TIFF selection The Substance, this film veers towards the unserious. While there’s unsubtle commentary about beauty expectations and the shallowness of society, there’s no dramatic storyline under all of this. The first scene finds Elizabeth Berkley trying to cut off her own growths before being knocked out by a masked figure, setting up a tone defined by horror and jump scenes. But little of that follows, and the moments that might otherwise be scary are framed as funny since they’re so rooted in ridiculousness that it would be unwise to take them any other way.

Minghella collaborates with his costar from The Handmaid’s Tale, Moss, directing her in a role that’s well-suited to her sense of humor and unique line delivery, and it’s enjoyable to see her in this context, certainly not happy but always ready with a nervous quip when others seek to demean or deceive her. Hudson is an excellent choice to chew scenery as a villain who doesn’t bother hiding her evil plans, and she’s clearly having a blast. The cast also includes entertaining appearances from Este Haim, Arian Moayed, Amy Landecker, Lionel Boyce, and Peter MacNicol. Though it’s not always pleasant to watch, this film isn’t quite as gross or difficult to stomach as it initially seems, and it’s a fun if not entirely sophisticated ride. Most importantly, it knows what it is and doesn’t try to stretch beyond that, offering a good time that’s occasionally clever and doesn’t require too much active engagement.

Movie Rating: 6/10

Awards Buzz: Despite its Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated stars, this film isn’t going to be an awards contender. It might be a fun choice for the Saturn Awards or other genre-focused prizes.