Excision introduces the cinema world to a real talent. Richard Bates Jr. has pulled off an impressive feat in adapting his own short film that played the festival circuit a few years back and expanded it into an intelligent, darkly funny jab at the American suburban lifestyle.
Pauline is an aggressively “unlikable” teenage girl who goes out of her way to be unpleasant at home and especially at school, where she is none too liked. Her parents (Traci Lords and Roger Bart) don’t know what to do with their menace of a daughter, but luckily have the “perfect” child with their younger daughter, Grace (Ariel Winter). Despite her parents’ standoffish approach to parenting, Pauline has bigger plans for her future, which include becoming a surgeon.
Superlative would be too small of a compliment to bestow upon this cast. From John Waters’ cameo as a Catholic Priest to McCord’s star making turn as Pauline, there isn’t a weak link to be found. McCord, probably best known for her role in the TV reboot of Beverly Hills 90210, has transformed inside and out for this role. Her odd tics, vocal inflection, and physicality sell this character in every way. I’m usually not a fan of “Let’s take the hot actress and make her ugly” casting, but this works because in her dreams Pauline can be beautiful and dangerous and sexy in a way she isn’t allowed in the real world. McCord runs away with this role, and she has earned every bit of praise and recognition.
The real revelation, however, is Traci Lords as Pauline’s mother, Phyllis. An actress who has never really been used to this extent, there is not a false note in her excellent portrayal of a mother on the brink of mental collapse. Lords’ role is tricky too, as Phyllis is so concerned with keeping up the illusion of the perfect family that she is voluntarily blinded to what’s really happening around her. Roger Bart is commendable as a father caught in between his oldest child and his steamroller of a wife, and Ariel Winter is a quite natural for a younger actor playing against such a strange creation as Pauline.
Anchor Bay’s release of Excision is expectedly beautiful being that it is a new film. The color scheme of the real world looks just as impressive as Pauline’s stylized dream world to which she escapes. Detail is sharp and the picture is clean of defects, whether the film is in a darker scene, as when Pauline is praying to God or the brighter moments, like her horrific dreams. Aurally, the film is pleasant, the incidental score and the soundtrack are both balanced well, with dialogue never getting buried underneath either. The one place Anchor Bay dropped the ball is in the bonus features department. Sadly, the only thing here is an audio commentary with the writer/director and his leading lady.
Excision is overflowing with great performances and it's a treat to watch these actors tackle this material. AnnaLynne McCord and Traci Lords are fantastic to watch, and if you like your comedy bleak and your horror movies a bit off the beaten path, this is a winner any way you slice it.
Film Score: 4/5 Disc Score: 2.5/5
Daily Dead's Official Podcast! Daily Dead's Official Podcast!
