“The Ugly Stepsister,” written and directed by Emilie Blichfeldt, takes its cue from “Cinderella,” but this inspired body horror comedy is no Disney film. This fairy tale is both Grimm and grim — and not unlike “The Substance” in the main character’s quest for beauty at any cost.
Elvira (Lea Myren) dreams of marrying Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth) even before he knows who she is. When her mother Rebekka’s (Ane Dahl Torp) new husband Otto (Ralph Carlsson) dies on their wedding day, the family’s assets are seized. The only way out of poverty is for Elvira to marry a wealthy man. But with braces on her teeth and a nose in need of rhinoplasty, getting Prince Julian to notice her at the Ball, where he will choose his bride, is going to be difficult. But Rebekka is determined to live well, and rather than bury her husband, she leaves his corpse to rot and invests in Dr. Esthétique (Adam Lundgren, marvelously campy) to improve Elvira’s looks. The faint of heart will want to close their eyes when he sews on eyelashes in one of several squirm-inducing sequences.
