Society

Some fairly interesting ideas are somewhat short-changed by writing that is occasionally weak and jars the ear. The film’s satire of suburban conformity, bodily anxiety, and the hidden ugliness beneath respectable appearances is more compelling than its dialogue, which often feels clumsy or overly blunt. Its jokes are also very dated, as are many of the effects, though I’m not inclined to hold that against it; their cheapness is part of the film’s strange, grimy charm.

For what it is, Society is an entertaining and occasionally effective piece of body horror. It takes a deliberately trashy premise and pushes it toward some genuinely memorable imagery, building to an ending that is still the film’s strongest feature. The movie is uneven and rarely as clever as it seems to think it is, but its ideas, atmosphere, and final stretch make it worth a look—if only for the ending, which isn’t bad at all.