Unexpectedly running into old friends can result in a mixed bag of emotions. While some folks enthusiastically seize the opportunity to reconnect, the unplanned spontaneity can often leave others feeling panicked or crippled by severe awkwardness. Toss in some related childhood trauma and you’ve got a top-notch recipe for a real emotional humdinger. Such is the initial tablescape that Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes set in their darkly humorous, glitter-dusted, hyper-filtered bloodfest, SISSY.
Quickly snagged by Shudder after making its Worldwide Premiere in the Midnighters section of this year’s SXSW Film Festival, SISSY is a black comedy tale that revolves around social media influencer, Cecilia (Aisha Dee). Having garnered a large online following by preaching self-love, confidence, positivity, and general mental wellness (with no professional training of course), Cecilia presents publicly as a true inspiration. However, behind the ring light, staged furnishings, and perfectly executed makeup, Cecilia’s truth leaves a bit to be desired.
Thriving off paid endorsements and digital love from her virtual community, Cecilia’s own self-worth is shown to be in direct correlation to her online success. Existing in a fragile bubble of her own making, this bubble soon gets popped when she randomly runs into her childhood BFF Emma (Hannah Barlow). Cornered by Emma’s excitement at the coincidence, Cecilia (formerly known as Sissy) agrees to attend Emma’s engagement party and subsequent bachelorette weekend away. Expecting an awkward, but manageable time with Emma’s friends and future wife, Cecilia’s illusions further get shattered when she finds her childhood bully, Alex (Emily De Margheriti) is also in attendance. As the pieces of their past friendship fallout fall into place, Cecilia finds her grip on reality faltering with bodies piling up in the process.
With a lot of films these days prodding and poking at society’s complicated relationship with social media and internet personalities, there are a few things that SISSY does uniquely well. For one, the visual aesthetic of the film takes direct inspiration from the digital landscape that it is so cleverly commenting on. Utilizing a vibrant lighting scheme, Instagram-ready production design, a stunning, diverse cast, and multiple digital effects pulled straight from filters, there is convincing youthful energy injected into each and every frame. Clearly informed on the subject matter, Barlow and Senes have done their research—and it shows.
Working in tandem with the film’s gorgeous look, there is a level of Hitchcockian drama that heightens the surreal world that Cecelia exists in. Wonderfully shot by cinematographer Steve Arnold and edited by Margi Hoy, the references to capital-C cinema are used in a truly clever way. Further strengthened by Kenneth Lampl’s intentionally dramatic and over-the-top score, each of these components reinforce the slightly divergent reality that Cecilia chooses to exist in. For her, each situation is a scene. Each difficult situation in her life, fodder for a triumphant recovery storyline. Her life is what she chooses to show to the world and the rest, well…if a body falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?
While on the subject of bodies, another thing SISSY absolutely nails is gore. Without getting into spoiler territory, each death that occurs unfolds with an impressively enthusiastic level of gusto. Daring to go the extra mile, SISSY brings the bloodshed with some true shiver-inducing moments. As likely to produce shocked screams as they are joyous clapping, each one is a true work of art. By never allowing Emma and her circle of friends to get too likable, Barlow and Senes are able to kill them off without chopping the narrative off at the knees.
Ultimately selling this darkly satirical story is Aisha Dee. Delivering an absolutely incredible performance as Cecilia aka Don’t-Call-Me-Sissy, Dee makes Cecilia’s online success and hidden truths, believable. Masterfully manipulating her facial reactions, tone of voice, and physical presence, Dee navigates the treacherous minefield of Cecilia’s identity beautifully. It’s a tricky line to walk because, at the end of the day, Cecilia is the villain in this story. And yet, somehow, we are with her. The pain she feels, her futile attempts to cope with the judgment of Emma’s friends, and the years of hurt and emotional baggage she’s been carrying due to the cruelty of children, all feed into a social anxiety nightmare that is frankly, understandable. Except for the whole murder massacre thing of course.
This is where SISSY gets a little murky with its message. Despite its satirical use of Cecilia’s toxic positivity to explain away her responsibility and justify (in her mind) her terrible behavior, the correlation between mental illness, trauma and violence is nonetheless there. It’s a message that mental health advocates have long been (rightfully) calling out cinema for as one does not typically result in the other. While perpetuating a stereotype is never helpful when it comes to serious issues such as this, it’s a message that merely simmers beneath the surface of SISSY’s story. Instead focusing more on the facade of familiarity and personality that influencers often project, SISSY manages to avoid any definitive damage by focusing on something different altogether. That said, it’s an issue nonetheless and one that may not sit right with all viewers.
Despite its minor flaws (and they are relatively minor), SISSY provides a wild, blood-drenched, messy good time. It also begs the question, how well do you really know those internet personalities you aspire to emulate? And ultimately, how far would you go to protect your own image? By fully leaning into the absurdity of modern online life, SISSY pokes a perfectly manicured finger straight into the eye of influencer culture. Wonderfully balancing humor, horror, gore, and unease Barlow and Senes hold a critical mirror up to society’s current face—but with their own particular brand of smoothing filter of course.
Tags: Aisha Dee, Emily De Margheriti, Film Festivals, Hannah Barlow, influencers, Kane Senes, Kenneth Lampl, Margi Hoy, Shudder, Sissy, Social Media, Steve Arnold, SXSW, SXSW 2022
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