{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = Excess Flesh | image = Excess Flesh poster.jpg | alt = | caption = | director = Patrick Kennelly | producer = {{plainlist| * Dennis Garcia * Leo Garcia }} | writer = {{plainlist| * Sigrid Gilmer * Patrick Kennelly }} | starring = {{plainlist| * Bethany Orr * Mary Loveless }} | music = Jonathan Snipes | cinematography = Benjamin Conley | editing = {{plainlist| * Cristina Bercovitz * Patrick Kennelly }} | studio = | distributor = | released = {{Film date|2015|03|13|SXSW}} | runtime = 103 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = }} '''''Excess Flesh''''' is a 2015 American horror film directed by Patrick Kennelly, written by Sigrid Gilmer and Kennelly, and starring Bethany Orr and Mary Loveless. Orr and Loveless play the new roommates who share an obsession with food.

== Plot == Jealous of her very thin supermodel roommate Jennifer, the midsized Jill binges and purges in an attempt to maintain her weight. Their relationship becomes even more strained as Jennifer mocks Jill's issues. Overcome with hatred, Jill lashes out at her roommate and chains Jennifer to the wall, where she taunts her with food. As Jill falls further into madness, her hygiene suffers, as does the cleanliness of the apartment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://horrorfreaknews.com/excess-flesh-2015-review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820080151/http://horrorfreaknews.com/excess-flesh-2015-review|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 20, 2016|title=Horror Freak News}}</ref> None of this seems to concern the women's neighbors and the love interest of the movie as they come to try to check on the women, and Jennifer continues to insult Jill even while restrained.

Jennifer manages to escape at one point and Jill manages to catch up to her on the street just as police officers in passing notice the girls' state of near undress. Despite having officers there, Jennifer says nothing. Jill attributes Jennifer's catatonic state to insomnia and stress and manages to get Jennifer back to the apartment. Jill bathes Jennifer, telling her how she was worried and scared about her. Jennifer finally tries to call for help and Jill strangles her into unconsciousness. Pushed to the edge by Jennifer's continual abuse, Jill finally stabs her to death and envisions taking her place on the modeling stage; however, Jill is seen still alone in the dirty apartment, implying that Jennifer only existed in Jill's mind.

== Cast == * Bethany Orr as Jill * Mary Loveless as Jennifer * Wes McGee as Rob * Sheresade Poblet as Cathy * Jill Jacobson as Beverly * Dana L. Wilson as Becky * Kristin Minter as Nina * Robert Maffia as Officer Jimmy * Jules Bruff as Office Marie * Juan Riedinger as Sebastian * Doug Locke as Terence * Saif Xnaydra as Young Hollywood *Allen Rueckert as Trevor

== Production == Kennelly came up with the idea for the film ten years prior its release after reading about eating disorders and how they can physicalize mental issues.<ref name=dd>{{cite web|url=https://dailydead.com/sxsw-2015-exclusive-co-writerdirector-patrick-kennelly-talks-excess-flesh/|title=SXSW 2015 Exclusive: Co-Writer/Director Patrick Kennelly Talks ''Excess Flesh''|last=Wixson|first=Heather|work=Daily Dead|date=2015-03-20|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> The isolation of living in Los Angeles was another inspiration, and Kennelly said that the situations in the story came from his and co-writer Gilmer's experiences. Kennelly wanted to create a horror film using the tropes of romantic comedies and sitcoms, genres that he said he found scary.<ref name=fangoria>{{cite web|url=http://www.fangoria.com/new/sxsw-15-exclusive-teaser-trailer-director-comments-for-body-horror-film-excess-flesh/|title=SXSW '15: Exclusive teaser trailer, director comments for body-horror film ''Excess Flesh''|last=Gingold|first=Michael|work=Fangoria|date=2015-03-05|accessdate=2015-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917081217/http://www.fangoria.com/new/sxsw-15-exclusive-teaser-trailer-director-comments-for-body-horror-film-excess-flesh/|archive-date=2017-09-17|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kennelly enjoys films that confront and challenge audiences, and he wanted this film to do the same.<ref name=amfm>{{cite web|url=http://www.amfm-magazine.com/sxsw-interview-excess-flesh-and-the-horror-of-midnight-mac-and-cheese/|title=SXSW Interview: ''Excess Flesh'' And The Horror Of Midnight Mac And Cheese|last=Fonte|first=Bears|work=AM FM Magazine|date=2015-03-20|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> Kennelly had gone to school with Loveless and believed that she would be good for the role of Jennifer. Orr was cast after auditioning.<ref name=dd/> The film was shot mostly in sequence. Orr and Loveless said that this contributed to developing a better understanding of their characters. There was also a practical reason: the apartment had to be progressively destroyed throughout the story.<ref name=amfm/> Due to the trashed set and food that was required to be left out, the crew wore masks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://moveablefest.com/moveable_fest/2015/03/patrick-kennelly-mary-loveless-excess-flesh.html|title=SXSW '15 Interview: Patrick Kennelly & Mary Loveless Give Weight to ''Excess Flesh''|last=Saito|first=Stephen|work=The Moveable Fest|date=2015-03-20|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> Orr said that she found her character to be an unlikely hero despite her being "brutally flawed".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://modernhorrors.com/exclusive-interview-excess-flesh-actress-bethany-orr/|title=Exclusive Interview with ''Excess Flesh'' Actress Bethany Orr|work=Modern Horrors|date=2015-03-10|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> Shooting lasted for three weeks, and many scenes were done in four or less takes. Orr said that she spent so much time getting into character that it was difficult for her when shooting ended.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nerdrepository.com/sxsw-interview-director-patrick-kennelly-cast-excess-flesh/|title=SXSW Interview: Director Patrick Kennelly and the Cast of ''Excess Flesh''|last=Hankins|first=Brent|work=Nerd Repository|date=2015-03-18|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> Kennelly said of the film, "''Excess Flesh'' is a visualization of what goes on inside a woman's head. It's about the nightmare of the self in the modern world."<ref name=db>{{cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/28/the-most-messed-up-movie-at-sxsw-excess-flesh-an-eating-disorder-horror-film.html|title=The Most Messed Up Movie at SXSW: ''Excess Flesh'', an Eating Disorder Horror Film|last=Stern|first=Marlow|work=The Daily Beast|date=2015-03-28|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref>

The film's score was composed and produced by Jonathan Snipes, best known as a member of noise-rap group clipping.

== Release == ''Excess Flesh'' premiered at South by Southwest on March 13, 2015.<ref name=fangoria/> Midnight Releasing will release the film on DVD and video on demand on March 8, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dreadcentral.com/news/152207/152207/|title=Official Trailer Removes Your ''Excess Flesh''|last=Squires|first=John|work=Dread Central|date=2016-02-18|accessdate=2016-02-20}}</ref>

== Reception == Marc Savlov of ''The Austin Chronicle'' compared it to Nick Zedd's Cinema of Transgression and said that it is "nauseating, perceptive, and an altogether damning indictment of a hyper-consumerist society run amuck".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sxsw/2015-03-14/sxsw-film-review-excess-flesh/|title=SXSW Film Review: ''Excess Flesh''|last=Savlov|first=Marc|work=The Austin Chronicle|date=2015-03-14|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> Writing in ''The Daily Beast'', Marlow Stern called it "the most twisted movie at SXSW—and of the year, so far".<ref name=db/> Susanna Jackson of WBUR-FM wrote that it is "handled both thoughtfully and perhaps over gratuitously".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://artery.wbur.org/2015/03/26/boston-underground-film-festival-2015|title=Boston Underground Film Festival: Unabashedly Not For Everyone|last=Jackson|first=Susanna|work=WBUR-FM|date=2015-03-26|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> Shock Till You Drop's Samuel Zimmerman wrote, "This is a film as informed by the veneer of Los Angeles as it is sickened by it; a layer cake of aggression, shame and madness. It's pretty exhilarating."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/375685-sxsw-review-excess-flesh-is-angry-gross-body-image-horror/|title=SXSW Review: ''Excess Flesh'' is Angry, Gross Body Image Horror|last=Zimmerman|first=Samuel|work=Shock Till You Drop|date=2015-03-14|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> Matt Donato of We Got This Covered rated it 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "''Excess Flesh'' starts out by asking the right questions about body shaming, but it quickly crumbles like a stale, tasteless fruitcake that's meant only for decoration."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/excess-flesh-review-sxsw-2015/|title=''Excess Flesh'' Review [SXSW 2015]|last=Donato|first=Matt|work=We Got This Covered|date=2015-03-14|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref> Heather Wixson of Daily Dead rated it 2/5 stars and wrote that the film is not as clever or insightful as it seems to think it is.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dailydead.com/sxsw-2015-review-excess-flesh/|title=SXSW 2015 Review: ''Excess Flesh''|last=Wixson|first=Heather|work=Daily Dead|date=2015-03-23|accessdate=2015-04-09}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist|30em}}

== External links == * {{IMDb title|3468698}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes|771430875}} * [https://collider.com/excess-flesh-patrick-kennelly-bethany-orr-mary-loveless/ Video interview] at Collider.com

Category:2015 films Category:2015 horror films Category:American independent films Category:American body horror films Category:Films about food and drink Category:Films set in apartment buildings Category:2015 English-language films Category:2015 American films Category:Films about eating disorders Category:English-language horror films