It’s What’s Inside (2024) is directed by Greg Jardin and stars Brittany O’Grady, James Morosini, David Thompson, Devon Terrell, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Gavin Leatherwood, Nina Bloomgarden, Reina Hardesty, and Madison Davenport. The film follows a group of old friends who meet for a pre-wedding party that immediately causes old drama to resurface. This is only amplified when one of the friends introduces a prototype game that allows the players to switch bodies and play a mind-bending version of “Werewolf.” When tragedy strikes, the group is forced to make unthinkable decisions where the mere concept of individuality is at stake. 

The film features constant, zany, back-and-forth dialogue that’s sometimes worth a grin but is more often grating and awkward. Some of the performances do the job, but a majority of the cast is noticeably green. That being said, they’re asked to do quite a bit when considering that each actor has to play multiple personalities depending on who’s been swapped into them. This body swapping is a tad confusing early on, but the film does a great job of giving the viewer subtle indicators of who’s inside whose body.

The over-the-top editing style is a mixed bad in the sense that it gives the movie a zany forward energy and allows it to visualize who’s inside who, but combined with the off-kilter cinematography, it often comes off as immaturely hyperactive. There’s also some strange, multi-colored lighting that feels cheap and unnatural.

The script is also filled with unoriginal horror-thriller tropes such as a toxic relationship, an Instagram-obsessed hot girl, and a red-herring nerd. Thankfully, the script feels like it entirely takes advantage of its premise by featuring a third act that becomes truly thought-provoking. Yes, there are also some obvious directions such as the one male character who just uses the body swaps as an excuse to have sex, but they’re coupled with more satisfying intellectual directions as well. I think this third act works because the first two take their time to establish the various characters and their somewhat complicated relationships. That being said, it also feels like somewhat of a slog to get through. It’s effective, but not necessarily entertaining. 

Overall, this is a movie that turns out to be a mixed bag. The editing is zany and entertaining, but also feels like a bit too much at times. The characters are well-developed, but the performances are mediocre. This development also results in a slow pace for the first two-thirds of the runtime. It’s also yet another movie that can’t decide if it wants to be a comedy, thriller, or horror film and therefore fails at all three. That being said, it feels like the rare example of a genre film that uses its cool premise to full effect. Some may also hate the millennial flair that results in some goofily shallow characters. If you’re not opposed to these flaws, you’re sure to appreciate its original ideas. B-