Slanted, the new film from director-writer Amy Wang, is like a blend of The Substance and one of those ABC Afterschool Specials from the 70’s and 80’s. Though some scenes don’t hold back on the gore, the film never reaches the Grand Guignol heights of The Substance and you know what? That’s okay, because at its core, the film’s about the not-so-subtle racism that runs through today’s society, racism that in many cases is overt but in some people, even those most forward-thinking ones, exists on an involuntary level like a heartbeat.
Take this treatise on racism and mix it with the incredible angst of a teenager desperate to fit in and you get a wonderfully thought-provoking film that pulls no punches. Joan Huang (played by Shirley Chen) is an Asian teenager who dreams of being prom queen. Walking the long halls of her high school each day, lined with past prom queens (all of whom were white) makes her wonder how she could ever win that honor. She yearns to make herself more “white” looking, even using an app called Ethnos to make her online pics look more Caucasian.
When she gets an email from the Ethnos company, offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get surgery that will “make her white”, she jumps at the chance, unaware of the consequences that will result from it. There are so many universal, relatable things in Slanted, from that teenage longing to belong and be popular to feelings of inferiority that are magnified by the illusion of perfection in an imperfect world. Sure, in the 21st century there’s AI, phones that can instantly answer any question in the world and more media than anyone could consume in a dozen lifetimes, but through all that tech dazzle, the hungers of humanity remain.
One of the things I love most about Slanted is Joan’s mother and father Sofia and Roger Huang (Vivian Wu and Fang Du), who are loving and understanding. The film could have made them beasts but instead makes Joan’s home a caring and accepting one. Joan’s relationship with her father is especially lovely, as he dotes on her and she idolizes him, which makes things more painful later in the film when Joan rejects her Asian heritage out of a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.
On the other hand, there’s Ethnos’s founder Dr. Willie Singer (R. Keith Harris), a Dr. Oz-lookalike who’s WAY too happy all the time. He’s not overtly menacing but he’s definitely creepy. When he first meets Joan and she tells him she’s 17-years-old he gleefully says “That’s great, the young ones are the best!” and you get the sinking feeling he’s not just talking about for his surgical procedures.
The school’s most popular girl Olivia (Amelie Zilber) is predictably bitchy, but director Amy Wang does a great job of making her more than just a Mean Girls clone. In some scenes, you kind of feel sorry for her. Constantly craving attention and all eyes on you is exhausting work! I enjoyed the film and though it plays things a bit too safe, I was invested in Joan’s journey. Much like life, the film provides no easy answers but it sure is fascinating.
‘Slanted’ review: If you can’t beat them, be them
Slanted
The film doesn’t reach the gory heights of “The Substance”, preferring to deal more with the psychological than the physical, and it makes for a fascinating film.
I loved Joan’s relationship with her parents and her parents were written wonderfully.
R, Keith Harri’s character Dr. Willie Singer has a subtle creepiness that hits just the right notes.
Director/Writer Amy Wang really makes you feel what Joan’s going through, her feelings of permanently being at a disadvantage because of who she is.