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| Images courtesy Shudder |
Life is filled with change. This is especially true when people compare themselves to how they were as children. Friends who were close in school growing far apart, kids who were bullied becoming the popular ones later in life…nothing that seemed forever back then is a given. However, one sentiment in youth has the power to to be ever-enduring: the desire for revenge. In Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes’ Sissy, the audience learns this lesson all too well, and it’s not one they generally teach in school.
Cecilia (Aisha Dee) is a successful 20-something-year-old wellness influencer who seems to live a charmed life doling out mental health advice that doesn’t seem altogether sound. One day, she bumps into her childhood best friend Emma (Hannah Barlow) while she’s out shopping. After some small talk, Emma invites Cecilia to her bachelorette weekend at a beautiful remote cabin, and Cecilia takes her up on the offer. Once she arrives, Cecilia finds out some unsavory information about this cabin: it’s owned by Alex (Emily de Margheriti), her high school bully who tore Emma away from her and mercilessly taunted her by calling her “Sissy.” Despite both parties’ best (and worst) efforts to brush off the decade-long grudge, Cecilia decides she is not over it, and we see an ugly side of her that’s not exactly on-brand with her famous online persona.
Aisha Dee does a marvelous job of making Cecilia a fascinating character. There are moments where she’s a protagonist with which the audience can easily sympathize, and then others where she pulls a 180 and becomes a crazed villain. These complexities in her make this film a unique revenge story that keeps the audience questioning whether we’re supposed to be condoning or rejecting her actions. Regardless of the answer, it’s wicked fun to watch the downward spiral Cecilia has trying to balance her troubled past self with the new, supposedly enlightened internet celebrity in her. Sissy has a dark humor about itself that makes it alright to laugh at the character’s grisly fates because it’s so entertaining with its approach.
Emphasis on the word “grisly” here. Another dichotomy in Sissy that makes it stand out is how the film is shot in contrast to how gruesome it ultimately becomes. The cinematography and camerawork feel stylish, slick, and modern: something far more indicative of a youthful, sexy rom com than a violent horror film. Nevertheless, the film has no qualms with showing some intensely gory deaths that highlight some impressive, cringeworthy close-ups of practical effects. Its prettiness combined with its viciousness add to its playful tone and overall appeal, and it’s hard not to be won over a bit by its nasty charms.
While Sissy is undoubtedly a good time, there are moments of it that beg the question, “what is this film trying to say?” Clearly, the film wants to say something about the traumatic effects of childhood bullying, the hypocrisy of social media influencers, and the malarkey prevalent in wellness culture, but it’s not always a clear message. The irony in its conclusion certainly packs a punch, but it could have done a better job in this regard throughout. Had there been more focus on these underlying concepts, it could have elevated Sissy from being an incredibly fun film to something truly great without being heavy-handed about it. Simply put, the story is straightforward, but some of the subtext is not.
Anyone with a morbid sense of humor who’s dealt with high school drama — or better yet, anyone who’s also ever rolled their eyes at an influencer before — will appreciate Sissy. It’s not perfect, but it’s a charming film that’s a breath of fresh air for the horror genre and absolutely worth a watch.
-Andrea Riley
