IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE is a twisty sci-fi thriller streaming on Netflix and is a movie for anyone who’s ever wondered what it would be like to be someone else. It tells the story of a group of college friends meeting up before one of them gets married. An estranged friend arrives unexpectedly with an intriguing game, and things get messy as each person discovers the truth about their friends—and themselves.

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE introduces Cyrus and Shelby, a longtime couple who can’t seem to keep the spark going in their relationship. They head off to their college friend Reuben’s wedding. They gather the rest of their friend group — Dennis, Nikki, Brooke, and Maya — at his mother’s house the night before the wedding to catch up.

Everything goes as expected until Forbes, an estranged friend no one knows Reuben reaches out to, arrives. They hadn’t seen him since a college party led to Forbes’ expulsion, as he’d brought his high school-age sister Beatrice to the party. Forbes has a large suitcase with him, which he tells the group contains a special game.

Forbes has been developing the game with a team at work. It allows users to switch bodies with others. Forbes tells the group he and his co-workers play a game with the machine—they switch bodies and have to figure out who is in whose body.

During the first round, the friends have fun, but Cyrus starts to feel uneasy when Forbes, in Dennis’ body, tells the group he’s Cyrus. In Reuben’s body, he plays along, encounters Maya in Nikki’s body, and the pair kiss.

When everyone is back in their bodies, they prepare for round two, but Cyrus says he doesn’t want to play. Shelby’s enthusiasm for the game changes his mind, and the group switches bodies once more. They continue to have a good time playing the game, but Cyrus is still uncomfortable.

Elsewhere, Reuben, in Dennis’ body, and Brooke, in Maya’s body, go up to a second-floor balcony and have sex. As the rest of the group gathers in the house, the balcony gives way, and the pair fall to their deaths. Chaos ensues as the group argues over what to do — Forbes tells them they can’t call the police, as the machine is too precious to be given to them. In contrast, Dennis and Cyrus argue over whether they should switch bodies back, forcing Dennis to live forever in Reuben’s body. During the fight, Dennis, in Cyrus’ body, calls the police and claims to have killed the others. In the commotion, Forbes attempts to run away with the machine, but in Brooke’s body, Nikki knocks him out. Shelby, who Forbes explained how to work the machine to, refuses to switch them back, as she is in Nikki’s body, a famous influencer.

Cyrus attempts to convince Shelby to switch everyone’s bodies back, but after Maya, in Shelby’s body, reveals Cyrus, previously in Reuben’s body, kissed her, previously in Nikki’s body, in Round One. Nikki is adamant that she return to her original body. As the police get closer to the house and with time running short, they argue and try to convince others to side with them on who should go into what body. Multiple characters mess with the machine to set who switches bodies with whom. The police arrive right as the machine is set off.

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE is a sci-fi twist on the classic “whodunit?” The plot constantly keeps viewers guessing, and the movie uniquely incorporates social media. The main cast is excellent as they change their mannerisms when playing each other.

However, IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE has a very negative worldview, as all the characters are shown to be selfish, petty, and cruel. They lie to manipulate one another and threaten and blackmail each other. The movie contains countless instances of extremely strong language, a short sex scene, repeated drug use, and a brief violent scene. MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.