Where to Watch The Ugly Stepsister
- rg9400July 8, 2026The Ugly Stepsister is a Norwegian reimagining of Cinderella. The movie juxtaposes some beautiful cinematography and set design with body horror that escalates as the movie goes on, designed to get the viewer to squeam. Its critique of beauty standards brings to mind something like The Substance, but without the glitz. The problem is that it doesn't have the propulsive narrative thrust to make it a super engaging watch. The body horror sequences are hard to look away from for sure, and they definitely made me cringe. However, I did not care at all for the main character, and the themes surrounding the societal pressure she was facing felt a bit muddled at times. Part of this is the Cinderella trappings, which add another aspect to the story that I think weakens its message. I did find the tone surprisingly comedic, with some moments that made me laugh despite what was happening to the main character. Overall, it's a nice looking movie with some body horror that shows the extreme lengths people will go to alter their appearance, but it doesn't have the impact it needs to.
- cultfilmlikerMay 19, 2025Shoulda known when there was blackhead popping early on that I was in for some intense body horror smh Another terror of a spaghetti-eating scene akin to The Killing of a Sacred Deer and obviously Gummo. Quite possibly the worst one!! Phenomenal music. Wonderful adaptation. This is what Disney needs!
- nelstronsenOctober 24, 2025This adaptation aligns more closely with the Brothers Grimm version of the Cinderella narrative. The body horror elements are reminiscent of David Cronenberg's work, presenting scenes that were almost unwatchable due to their grotesque nature. My primary critique is that certain scenes felt either rushed or included solely to emphasize the Cinderella connection, which I believe the film could have omitted. These particular scenes would lack coherence for viewers unfamiliar with the Cinderella story, experiencing this film as a standalone piece.
- thereelvoiceApril 30, 2025A timeless tale retold from its dark roots, The Ugly Stepsister is a nuanced film that explores the pressures felt by women due to society’s beauty standards. The cinematography pulls you into a different time and place and the acting is superb. The story takes its time to build on the social commentary and critique of standards and ideas that have a hold on us even today. And all of this comes crashing down in a brutal and visceral display of violence that is meant to drive the point home…and it does. The Ugly Stepsister is a fantastic tale worth a watch and a rewatch, just to make sure we get the point.
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The Ugly Stepsister was released on March 7, 2025.
The Ugly Stepsister was directed by Emilie Blichfeldt.
The Ugly Stepsister has a runtime of 1h 49m.
The Ugly Stepsister was produced by Maria Ekerhovd.
Elvira will go to any lengths to compete with her insanely-beautiful stepsister, the enchanting Agnes, and is willing to use blood, sweat, and tears to conquer the prince's heart. In a fairy-tale kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira fights tooth and nail to become the belle of the ball.
The key characters in The Ugly Stepsister are Elvira (Lea Myren), Rebekka (Ane Dahl Torp), Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss).
The Ugly Stepsister is rated Not Rated.
The Ugly Stepsister is a Comedy, Drama, Horror film.
The Ugly Stepsister has an audience rating of 8.5 out of 10.
The Ugly Stepsister had a budget of $4.3M.
The Ugly Stepsister has made $5.3M at the box office.