Joan Huang, a desperate-to-fit in, insecure Chinese American teenager, undergoes experimental trans-racial surgery to become white and secure her chances of being named Prom Queen and winning the a...
Writer / director Amy Wang’s “Slanted” is an audacious and unsettling satirical horror film that delves into the painful realities of race, identity, and assimilation. Combining dark humor, social commentary, and elements of light body horror, the film explores what happens when desperation to fit in leads to irreversible consequences. Offering a creative take on a serious issue, this provocative film is unapologetic not only in its quest to make the audience uncomfortable, but also in its success in sparking a timely conversation.
The movie follows Joan Huang (Shirley Chen), a Chinese American high school senior who sees winning Prom Queen as the ultimate stamp of social acceptance. Believing that her Asian identity is holding her back in a sea of blonde and blue-eyed peers, she secretly undergoes an experimental racial surgery that permanently turns her white. At first, everything seems perfect. Joan, now transformed as Jo (Mckenna Grace), is suddenly popular, admired, and welcomed into her all-American small town. But soon, she realizes her dream has morphed into a nightmare as she struggles with the emotional and psychological cost of erasing her true self.
Wang’s film plays like a twisted hybrid of “Mean Girls” and “The Substance,” blending teen movie tropes with a cutting examination of racial assimilation. While its premise leans into the absurd, it effectively amplifies the prevalence of internalized racism and the lengths people may go to in pursuit of societal approval and personal validation. Even the tagline of the mysterious company responsible for performing the transformation procedures encapsulates the brutal and biting nature of the film’s critique: “If you can’t beat them, be them.”
What makes the film stand out is its deeply personal and culturally specific perspective. While Hollywood has tackled themes of beauty standards and self-worth before, this film really digs into the immigrant experience and the pressure to conform to society’s ideal while preserving your heritage. Joan’s parents are devastated by her decision because they see it as a betrayal and complete rejection of who she is, while Joan sees it as an open door to unlimited potential and success. This tension is at the heart of the film’s message: real acceptance has to come from within, not from trying to be someone you’re not.
While the film has a lot going for it, it’s not without its flaws. Some of its satire feels a little too on-the-nose, with metaphors that are so exaggerated they lose a bit of their impact. But even when it stumbles, “Slanted” stays engaging and offers a fresh take on familiar themes with its twisted, unsettling, funny, and cautionary tale about self-acceptance and the cost of trying to be someone else.
