Fading actress Samantha Lake (Elisabeth Moss) is battling irrelevance in a youth-obsessed industry. Out of work and desperate to reclaim her spark, she’s drawn to Shell, an exclusive wellness company run by the magnetic Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson). Shell promises transformation – radiance, confidence, even a hint of immortality – and after some trepidation, Samantha signs up.
At first, the results are miraculous: her skin glows, her energy surges, and Hollywood begins to take notice again. Samantha gets a recurring dream role and she has a passionate love life. But beneath the pastel serenity of Shell’s laboratories lies something darker. Former clients vanish, staff behave erratically, and Zoe’s obsession with perfection hints at something inhuman.
As Samantha peels back the glossy surface, she uncovers a chilling truth about what Shell really sells, and what it takes to stay beautiful forever.
A sharp blend of satire, psychological thriller, and body horror, Shell explores the terrifying price of eternal youth and the illusion of control. It suitably raises a finger to the profits-led attitudes of tech companies and the playing-with-consumer-vulnerabilities of advertisers – even though the ending is a bit cheesy. Even for Elisabeth Moss.
Shell opens nationally on Thursday 30 October. Check your local guides for screening times.
About Shell
Rating: MA15+
Length: 100 mins
Directed by Max Minghella
Stars Elisabeth Moss, Kate Hudson, Kaia Gerber
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