Horror has shown me plenty of uncomfortable things, but nothing quite like this. Excess Flesh tells the story of Jill, and her struggles with both food and Jennifer, her roommate. It borders on being pure exploitation, existing in a heightened reality that refuses to let up or look away. Binging, purging, chewing, spitting, punishing: it’s all here in an uncompromising display. Key shots are held longer than anyone’s comfort will last, and the audio mix emphasizes every little sound of consumption. It’s an impressive and unsettling experience that paces itself with a meta-structure of binging and purging, leaving you feeling sick. By intensity and subject matter, it’s not for everyone, but it lays bare a topic we tend to discuss as if it’s not in the room. For that alone, it’s valuable.
