Aaron Ploof
Equality in the United States is a myth we tell ourselves. Although we’d like to believe that everyone receives equal treatment, the truth of the matter is that if you’re not white (and rich), you’re at a significant disadvantage. Even those of us who make a constant effort to treat everyone equally are mostly inherently biased towards a certain look. The media bombards us with ideas about how to be attractive. And for women in America, there’s no more common idealized vision of beauty than a Caucasian blonde.
These are the types of women we are told men desire. They have been the standard for beauty in Hollywood since its inception. After all, like Rod Stewart’s song says, “Blondes have more fun.” Or so we are told.
In Slanted, a body-horror picture from director Amy Wang, Joan Huang (Shirley Chen) definitely believes this to be true. A high schooler whose parents immigrated from China, Joan has dreamed of being prom queen since childhood. Unfortunately, that dream seems impossible. The popular crowd at school ostracizes her, and her best friend, Brindha (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), isn’t interested in joining it. The leader of the popular crew, Olivia (Amelie Zilber), has decided not to run for prom queen this year and is endorsing another girl.
Joan yearns for that endorsement, not to mention attention and acceptance from Olivia, but Olivia regards Joan as beneath her. That is, until she receives an offer from a mysterious company called Ethnos. The doctor behind the organization, Willie Singer (R. Keith Harris), has pioneered a new surgical procedure that turns people of color white in just a few hours. The opportunity is just too enticing for Joan to pass up.
Joan emerges from surgery with a brand-new look, now going by the name Jo Hunt (McKenna Grace). As Jo, Joan has exactly the kind of life she’s always wanted and is welcomed with open arms by society and her peers. More importantly, Olivia gives her the recognition she’s always desperately craved. Maybe now she can get that endorsement. But just what is she giving up? And what if something goes horribly wrong? The surgery, after all, is irreversible.
Of course, something does. Slanted is body horror. Surprisingly, for an R-rated film, the content is fairly tame. This is nowhere near as intense as The Substance. It’s not particularly scary or gory. Don’t expect to be shocked.
Instead, Slanted delivers an emotionally effective story, especially concerning Joan’s relationship with her parents. When Joan transitions into her “whiteness,” her mom and dad are appropriately shocked, disappointed, and deeply hurt all at once. Her mother, Sofia (Vivian Wu), is upfront about her feelings, ensuring Joan knows how she has betrayed her culture and her identity, how she has abandoned the very thing that made her special. Her father, Roger (Fang Du), attempts to be more emotionally accepting, but even he has his limits.
The damage this causes in the family is tremendous, but it’s still clear just how much both parents love Joan. Wu’s performance is solid; she plays stern and commanding very well. There’s a side to her that’s caring, but she doesn’t express it as readily. Du, however, is outstanding as Roger. He cares for Joan with a passion and encourages her to be confident and assured. Even as he toils away, working tirelessly as a cleaner to support the family, he gives her the emotional support she needs. An early scene between the two, when Joan is a child, encapsulates this aspect of their relationship. This makes later scenes between Roger and Joan emotionally devastating, simply because Du reacts so authentically to the cold words that spill from Joan’s mouth. Roger’s love for her is extraordinarily deep; viewers will be desperate for them to reconcile.
Both Chen and Grace play Joan/Jo well, delivering a character that is deeply insecure. Huang captures Joan’s need to please, while Grace gives her a biting tongue. Viewers will likely relate to this character more if they’re currently high school or college students. This is the main target audience for the film. Most definitely, people of color will find common ground in Joan’s struggles.
The film could’ve been a bit more insightful when it came to these issues, though. While it does give white viewers a different perspective on America, it doesn’t say anything particularly surprising. Then again, this movie wasn’t made for white people. Young women of color who don’t think themselves beautiful, who think popularity will solve their problems, who think they can’t find value in their own family, culture, and authentic self; this was made for them. Hopefully, they take to heart the lessons this movie is attempting to teach
Slanted isn’t a perfect film. It’s not revelatory, and some of its scares fall flat. It’s easy to get emotionally invested though, due to some excellent performances from the core cast. Fang Du delivers a knockout performance as Roger, Joan’s dad, and Chen and Grace are up to the task as Joan/Jo. This is more of a drama/comedy than straight up horror, but what’s here is effective. Its family sub-story is impactful, and it has the potential to reach people of color. White folks will be able to see how America looks through a different set of eyes.
