Sissy Review: Conflicting Horror Feature
When it comes to depicting adolescents and female friendships on cinema, the idea of bullying has been around for millennia. In their film Sissy, writer-directors Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes explore these themes through Cecilia, a social media influencer in her twenties who yearns to be needed and accepted. Their plot, which is not too far removed from the realities of achieving internet popularity, serves as a solid backdrop for insightful comments on bullying, the need for approval, and healing from traumatic experiences. But in practise, it falters. Sissy sacrifices its concepts in favour of violence and cursory psychological reality explorations, which is both irritating and addictively entertaining.
Successful social media influencer Cecilia (Aisha Dee) seems to have it all. Nothing can stop Cecilia from feeling remarkable because she is a modern, independent woman living the dream. That is, until she finally gets to see Emma, her ex-best friend from when they were both in their pre-teen years (Hannah Barlow). Before Alex (Emily De Margheriti) entered the scene, Cecilia and Emma had plans to spend the rest of their lives together and never let anything stand in their way. And even now, several years later, their interactions are still dominated by cattiness. alex goes on to ruin Cecilia's weekend during Emma's bachelorette party getaway at a lonely lodge in the highlands. Sadly, it doesn't look well for the whole party.
Sissy's opening montage makes it quite evident that Cecilia's appearance of composure is only a facade. The camera pans out to expose Cecilia's true profession following a broadcast to her more than 200,000 followers asking them to repeat her created mantra, "I am loved, I am special, I am enough." She watches reality tv while eating bad cuisine in a messy apartment by herself, and she frequently checks her phone to get approval from her fan base. All of this occurs between dreams stemming from the unsettling accident that causes Cecilia to be awakened from her slumber. Even for the most polished social media influencer, things aren't always as they seem, which is an area where Sissy's script frequently shines.