Hollywood’s obsession with unattainable beauty is nothing new. Over the past century, the expectations of what a woman should look like have changed drastically from one year to the next, but there has always been one common thread that constantly resonates: whatever you do, just don’t get old. Many films have commented on the dangers of such impossible standards, but Max Minghella’s Shell now enters the well-trodden territory, teaming up with Kate Hudson and The Handmaid’s Tale co-star Elisabeth Moss to create a campy dark comedy that suggests that eternal youth might be achieved by inexplicably combining our DNA with that of a lobster — what could go wrong?
While Shell doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know about societal pressures, corporate greed, or the regenerative powers of the exoskeleton, it’s a fun, zany story about the pursuit of perfection and what we’ll do to achieve it, even if that means eating a little bit of Kate Hudson’s excess shedded skin.
What Is ‘Shell’ About?
Set sometime in the not-so-distant future, Shell, written by Jack Stanley, tells the story of Samantha Lake (Elisabeth Moss), a talented but hapless actress who loses out on roles to unqualified younger women, including Kaia Gerber‘s Chloe Benson. When Samantha’s told by her agents in no uncertain terms that she’ll need to change her appearance if she wants to keep succeeding in show business, she looks to Shell, a wellness company run by the alluring mogul, Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson). Taken with Zoe’s magnetism and the promise of everlasting beauty, Samantha undergoes a mysterious procedure that ensures that she won’t age a day and will be miraculously free of the skin ailments that have plagued her for years (just don’t read the fine print).
Imbued with intoxicating confidence and rocking some obvious hair extensions, Samantha’s life takes a drastic upswing until she begins to experience worrying symptoms and Chloe, also a Shell patient, goes missing. As Samantha learns more about Zoe Shannon and the trial-and-error process of the procedure, she begins to question what she got herself into and learns that perfection comes with a hefty price tag… and maybe some claws.
‘Shell’s Rumination on Beauty Standards Doesn’t Add Much to the Conversation
In terms of its social commentary, Shell doesn’t add anything to the conversation about beauty standards. While the movie’s doctrine is stated in a strong monologue by Hudson, everybody (especially the female audience) is well aware that in the world of Botox and risky beauty procedures, you’re damned if you do, and you’re damned if you don’t. When a woman goes under the knife and comes out looking younger, she’s a conformist, and if she does so and comes out with unwanted results, she’s an idiot who never should have tried it in the first place. In a climate where simply aging is seen as an act of defiance, a woman who forgoes cosmetic intervention altogether is seen as brave until she’s promptly cast aside.
By never taking itself too seriously, however, Shell does effectively poke fun at the ridiculous lengths people will go to remain youthful while never making fun of the women themselves. When Samantha caves to societal expectations and goes to Shell, while it seems totally ridiculous, we’re shown how her hand was forced and how, in order to continue in her career and lead a fulfilling life, she felt as though this was her only option.
Elisabeth Moss and Kate Hudson Give Dynamic Performances in ‘Shell’
Shell’s greatest strength is the talents of its two leads, and Moss and Hudson play effortlessly against one another. Moss shows off the intensity she’s become known for in projects like The Handmaid’s Tale or The Invisible Man, while also getting to do some stellar comedy. Samantha starts off as a fairly self-conscious character before evolving into a self-assured movie star and later a stab-happy rebel, and Moss, unsurprisingly, plays every facet of the character flawlessly.
Hudson likewise gets to show off in her role as Zoe Shannon. She’s captivating, charming, and slightly terrifying all at once. While the character’s malicious intentions are obvious from the start, Hudson plays Zoe with such charisma that it’s obvious how the beauty tycoon managed to cast so many people under her spell. As Samantha’s friend and later assistant, Lydia, relative newcomer Este Haim also contributes nicely to the film’s comedy alongside the rest of the ensemble.
‘Shell’s Doesn’t Go Far Enough With Its Body Horror
There’s no denying that Shell has some great moments of body horror, with bursting lesions, black vomit, and bloody standoffs. Nevertheless, on the whole, the film underutilizes its sickening potential. From the get-go, it’s pretty clear where Shell is going in its dramatization of the beauty industry, and given the nature of the Shell procedure — and its eventual consequences — there are boundless opportunities to really lean into the grisly side effects. Yet, the movie disappointingly shies away. We don’t get to see much of the transformation process, and while there are some uncomfortable scenes, the movie sets us up for a grotesque ramp-up in body horror that never really happens.
However, when Shell does go for gross, sound design by Óscar Grau Martin, P.K. Hooker, and Joel Dougherty adds greatly to the film. One moment of Samantha feasting on a shocking appetizer is bolstered by nauseating crunches, and in the film’s climax, violent attacks are made even more so through the horrific and wholly effective sound effects. Creative cinematography and some particularly unique point-of-view shots also help to enhance Shell‘s wild third act.
Overall, Shell is at its best when it doesn’t take itself too seriously, leaning into its comedic sensibilities while not trying to hit us over the head with familiar messages. When the options are to either age normally or experience a gnarly, animalistic transformation, the choice to forgo a crustacean existence isn’t exactly the girl-power moment that Shell makes it out to be. However, the movie still argues the important idea that enforced beauty standards are damaging and dangerous. It’s best to enjoy Shell for what it is: a quirky, mildly skin-crawling, at times laugh-out-loud satire boasting an exceptional cast, some so-so body horror, and one very angry lobster.
