The Ugly Stepsister

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1:48

The Ugly Stepsister

2025

1h 45m

Horror

Comedy

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

138 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

50+ Verified Ratings

In a twisted take on the classic Cinderella story, 'The Ugly Stepsister' follows Elvira as she battles to compete with her insanely beautiful stepsister. In a fairy-tale kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will go to any lengths to catch the Prince's eye. 'The Ugly Stepsister' is the gory tale of the blood and sweat, grit and gold that goes into making Elvira the belle of the ball.

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Critics Consensus

Taking a hammer and chisel to a quintessential fairy tale, The Ugly Stepsister's masterful application of gore and subversion are the stuff that nightmares are made of.

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Sergio Burstein

Los Angeles Times

Aug 12

Beyond what its scenes of violence might imply, the director's staging is extremely elegant and meticulous. [Full review in Spanish]

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Amy Nicholson

FilmWeek (LAist)

May 20

I really loved the lead performance, this sister who is really committed to try and do everything right.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

Apr 28

3/5

That’s impressive — 30 years of film criticism and this is the first time that I’ve had to turn away from the screen for fear of retching.

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Dec 5

2.5/4

The Substance by way of the Brothers Grimm.

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John Serba

Decider

Dec 2

None of this is particularly subtle in its feminist messaging, but at least it builds quite steadily to a climax that’ll have you cackling, if only to ward off the barfsies.

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C.H. Newell

Father Son Holy Gore

Nov 12

4.5/5

Blichfeldt tells a folktale in a brutally real fashion to illustrate the physical toll that beauty standards have on female bodies.

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Ben W

May 14

Definitely a great watch. I had fun. Lightly touches on the body horror genre, but keeps itself tame enough to be digestible for a wider audience.

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Adrianna

Apr 26

wasn't prepared to see a movie that isn't in English. it was really well written, and the acting is amazing. it was nice to see a different pov of the class fairytale that we know as cinderella.

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Elaine W

Apr 24

One of the BEST movies of 2025 so far!!!! So creative, unique, fantastical! Loved it!!! Great “Cinderella” adaptation!

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Yue

Apr 23

amazing. fans of the substance must see

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Shelbelw

Apr 22

Just got back from seeing The Ugly Stepsister and wanted to leave my two cents. No Spoilers. To be honest, this portrays such a female experience from start to finish that I'm not sure how many men are actually going to appreciate this movie. It is exquisitely tragic, beautifully filmed, and the lead actress deserves an Oscar. Her character arc from wide-eyed hopeful innocent to what she turns into is so amazing. The micro expressions on her face show every thought and feeling as if we were in her head. The body horror is good. There was not much the camera pulled away from. And at one point I actually gagged. I'm looking forward to rewatching this to appreciate the journey. Two severed big toes up from this girl.

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BaileysHorrors on YT

Apr 21

Sick and twisted, with beautiful visuals.

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Emilie Blichfeldt

Director

Lea Myren

Elvira

Thea Sofie Loch Næss

Askepott

Ane Dahl Torp

Stepmother

Flo Fagerli

Alma

Isac Calmroth

Prince Julian

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The Ugly Stepsister: Exclusive Trailer

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Synopsis

In a twisted take on the classic Cinderella story, 'The Ugly Stepsister' follows Elvira as she battles to compete with her insanely beautiful stepsister. In a fairy-tale kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will go to any lengths to catch the Prince's eye. 'The Ugly Stepsister' is the gory tale of the blood and sweat, grit and gold that goes into making Elvira the belle of the ball.

Director: Emilie Blichfeldt
Producer: Maria Ekerhovd
Screenwriter: Emilie Blichfeldt, Emilie Blichfeldt
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Mer Film
Genre: Horror, Comedy, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Norwegian
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 18, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 9, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $306.8K
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)

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