Out of body experiences are generally seen as a metaphor, but “It’s What’s Inside” brings this to an all-new level.  

I was casually scrolling through TikTok when I stumbled into someone making a comment on how this film is similar to the 2022 film “Bodies Bodies Bodies.” As an avid fan of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” I was interested in checking it out. 

I later found out it had first premiered at Sundance back in January but had only just been released to stream on Netflix back on Oct. 4. So, I thought I would give this new movie a view. 

The film primarily follows the relationship of Shelby (Brittany O’Grady) and Cyrus (James Morosini), a couple of nine years who are struggling to figure out how to keep their romance alive.  

Most of the turmoil in their relationship is brought out by Cyrus’s pornography addiction and his inability to communicate with Shelby, which has been putting a divide on the two’s sex life. This leads to multiple arguments throughout the film about honesty and how the two see each other.  

With a main supporting cast of six other friends reuniting for the first time since college to celebrate one of them– Reuben (Devon Terrell) –getting married, shenanigans are bound to occur.  

And oh boy, do they.

One of the friends, Forbes (David Thompson)– who has been estranged from the group for years– shows up to the party with a mysterious briefcase.  

He later reveals what is inside the briefcase: a machine that has the power to make people swap bodies, introducing this as some sort of fun party game that the group can turn into a guessing game.  

I was intrigued when this concept was introduced, as up until this point the film was just a casual fun hangout film.

With this element spicing up the plot, watching what these characters do while in the others’ bodies was a remarkably interesting approach to the body switching concept seen in other films like “Freaky Friday.”  

My biggest kudos to this film is the camera work that went into capturing perspectives throughout scenes. Different forms of lighting in this film lets us see through the body switching and shows the audience who is in each body. 

I thought this was a great narrative piece to show off more about each of these characters, on top of not forcing the audience to just figure out who is who when the characters are switching bodies throughout the film.  

One of the characters, Maya (Nina Bloomgarden), is very much in the background of the film, but when she speaks up, she discusses with others about how what they all are going through throughout the film is one huge out of body experience, saying that the world has given them a chance to feel reborn.

I think that this way of thinking is very interesting because a lot of body switching films do not go much deeper thinking than just that they get to experience being in someone else’s shoes. The film is much deeper in its execution of the script than I am probably even describing.  

The music is always a big part of enjoying a film, and this film really takes the cake withs its blend of orchestral pieces weaved together with records of the 1950s, which for a movie about people in their late twenties you might feel would not fit. 

I encourage people to check out one of my favorite tunes from the film, “Okosa-Bushi” by Chiemi Eri. This track is a powerful big band sound that I felt brought out fun throughout the film. 

But with the framing of the scene combined with a fast-paced editing style, the music fits right into the flow of the story. With several scenes having removed the actors’ voices and other sounds to help convey their emotions. The characters move with the music that delivers the energy of the situation at hand.  

Members of the cast have worked on other films in the past but none of these actors are really considered to be A-list. With the performance each gave, I believe casting directors should be keeping their eyes out for these folks as the next big films come out from Hollywood.  

Each actor in this movie had to act with the same tendencies and cadence as the other actors due to the body switching shenanigans of the story. They executed this perfectly.

Watching each of these performers seamlessly be able to play completely different characters in the same film as others being that same character shows huge acting chops on this cast.  

“It’s What’s Inside” is one of the best films that has been made for Netflix this year.

I find the body switching troupe to be refreshing in a story like this. With twists and turns, this film has the ability to engage and keep the audience asking what’s truly inside of them. 

5/5 

Gunnar Olson can be reached at 581-2812 or at deneic@gmail.com.