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IMDbPro

Excision

  • 20122012
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 21m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
23K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,449
1,214
Excision (2012)
Trailer for Excision
Play trailer2:15
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Horror
A disturbed, delusional high-school student with aspirations of a career in medicine goes to extremes to earn the approval of her controlling mother.A disturbed, delusional high-school student with aspirations of a career in medicine goes to extremes to earn the approval of her controlling mother.A disturbed, delusional high-school student with aspirations of a career in medicine goes to extremes to earn the approval of her controlling mother.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
23K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,449
1,214
  • Director
    • Richard Bates Jr.
  • Writer
    • Richard Bates Jr.
  • Stars
    • AnnaLynne McCord
    • Roger Bart
    • Ariel Winter
Top credits
  • Director
    • Richard Bates Jr.
  • Writer
    • Richard Bates Jr.
  • Stars
    • AnnaLynne McCord
    • Roger Bart
    • Ariel Winter
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 144User reviews
    • 163Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 11 wins & 12 nominations

    Videos1

    Excision
    Trailer 2:15
    Excision

    Photos100

    AnnaLynne McCord in Excision (2012)
    Jeremy Sumpter and AnnaLynne McCord in Excision (2012)
    AnnaLynne McCord in Excision (2012)
    Traci Lords in Excision (2012)
    AnnaLynne McCord in Excision (2012)
    AnnaLynne McCord in Excision (2012)
    Matthew Gray Gubler in Excision (2012)
    Cole Bernstein in Excision (2012)
    AnnaLynne McCord in Excision (2012)
    Natalie Dreyfuss and AnnaLynne McCord in Excision (2012)
    Ariel Winter in Excision (2012)
    Natalie Dreyfuss in Excision (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    AnnaLynne McCord
    AnnaLynne McCord
    • Paulineas Pauline
    Roger Bart
    Roger Bart
    • Bobas Bob
    Ariel Winter
    Ariel Winter
    • Graceas Grace
    Traci Lords
    Traci Lords
    • Phyllisas Phyllis
    Matthew Gray Gubler
    Matthew Gray Gubler
    • Mr. Claybaughas Mr. Claybaugh
    Jeremy Sumpter
    Jeremy Sumpter
    • Adamas Adam
    Matthew Fahey
    Matthew Fahey
    • Nathanas Nathan
    Sidney Franklin
    Sidney Franklin
    • Timothyas Timothy
    Molly McCook
    Molly McCook
    • Natalieas Natalie
    Natalie Dreyfuss
    Natalie Dreyfuss
    • Abigailas Abigail
    John Waters
    John Waters
    • Williamas William
    Malcolm McDowell
    Malcolm McDowell
    • Mr. Cooperas Mr. Cooper
    Marlee Matlin
    Marlee Matlin
    • Amberas Amber
    Cole Bernstein
    Cole Bernstein
    • Kimberlyas Kimberly
    Cameron Allen
    • Young Paulineas Young Pauline
    Ray Wise
    Ray Wise
    • Principal Campbellas Principal Campbell
    Emily Bicks
    • Breannaas Breanna
    Brennan Bailey
    Brennan Bailey
    • Sebastianas Sebastian
    • Director
      • Richard Bates Jr.
    • Writer
      • Richard Bates Jr.
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Richard Bates Jr.'s first feature film.
    • Quotes

      Pauline: Solely based on the definition, I don't know a teenager that doesn't profile as a sociopath.

    • Connections
      Featured in Half in the Bag: Django Unchained and 2012 Recap (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Crushed
      Written by Bill Brooks

      Courtesy of APM Music

    User reviews144

    Review
    Top review
    The nightmarish surrealism which is achieved will resonate for days afterwards.
    A paradoxical myriad of influences and styles runs through Excision, the feature debut from NYU graduate Richard Bates Jr. A development of his 18 minute short which played the festival circuit in 2008, the film charts a brief spell in the life of Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord), one of the most dysfunctional teenagers to hit the screen since Todd Solondz's Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995). Far less fetishized than Terry Zwigoff's teenage female outcasts, Pauline is the epitome of awkward. Her gait eschews any form of grace, leaving her a hunched over, lumbering mess. Even keeping her mouth closed appears, at times, to be too much effort. In short, she's the perfect representation of the unfathomable levels of apathy and brooding that exist within the mind of the troubled teen.

    McCord, better known to television viewers as the star of shows such as Nip/Tuck and 90210, is almost unrecognisable as the scowling girl with greasy hair and bad skin. It was not, however, an easy part for her to attain. In a recent interview both Bates Jr. and McCord stated that it was a difficult process. From the offset, the director refused to entertain McCord's persistent applications to be associated with the feature. Luckily for us her tenacity paid off and she was granted an audition. Bates' scepticism continued until the young actress showed her commitment to the feature by responding to the statement that she would have to cut her hair for the role by hacking at her locks right there and then. Seeing more of Pauline in the glamorous actress than he could ever have imagined, the partnership was made and the process began.

    One of the aforementioned paradoxes within the film is the drafting in of a delightful range of the Hollywood bad boys (and girls); Traci Lords, John Walters, Malcolm McDowell and Ray Wise all appear. All of these characters could have been utilised as the outsiders and freaks of the movie with whom Pauline connects and finds solace, yet in a clever play against type, it is this motley crew who comprise the upstanding, conservative and unprogressive adults in the movie. Lords plays Pauline's God-fearing mother Phyllis with her trademark vigour and wit, clearly loving the experience of taking the moral high ground over the rebellious youth. Waters plays a chaplain and Wise and McDowell both work at the school as headmaster and teacher respectively.

    Pauline aspires to one day become a successful surgeon, something which is greatly hindered by her lack of academic capability. Experimenting on roadkill and dreamily pondering over medical textbooks culminates in bizarre fantasies which range from brutal eviscerations to necrophilia.

    All of this is heavily coincides with the social dilemmas which she faces on a daily basis (ranging from puberty to friends and relationships). Modern Family's Ariel Winter plays Grace, Pauline's younger sister, who is suffering from Cystic Fibrosis. The strain which her illness puts upon the family often trivialises the nature of Pauline's growing pains. This parallel makes for one of the most interesting aspects of the movie, alluding to the insular and self- absorbed nature of the teen mind.

    There is a great deal of dark humour on display in Excision. Humour as pitch black as coal and as sharp as surgical steel. The nightmarish surrealism which is achieved will resonate for days afterwards. A well written and enjoyable debut which manages to balance a sinister side with a tender character study, resulting in an exceptionally strong feature, Excision is well deserving of the praise which it is currently receiving.

    Excision is available now through Monster Pictures UK. You can find out more about the movie on the Official Website, Twitter or Facebook.

    Colin McCracken writes extensively for zombiehamster.com as well as a number of genre publications. He can be found on Twitter as @zombiehamster
    helpful•13
    13
    • cjmccracken
    • Dec 1, 2012

    FAQ1

    • What is the main character's mental disorder?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 2, 2012 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Excisión
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Clarita, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Anchor Bay Films
      • New Normal Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,757
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 21 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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