Warning: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for It’s What’s Inside.
At the climax of Netflix’sIt’s What’s Inside, Shelby’s desire to stay in Nikki’s body is revealed, pointing to deeper truths about the character. The movie follows theIt’s What’s Insidecharacters, who harbor numerous secrets like revenge plots, unrequited crushes, and jealousy. These hidden desires come to the forefront when they have the opportunity to act them out in other people’s bodies. The raunchy Netflix horror-comedy is non-stop body-swapping fun. Still, the levity doesn’t prevent the movie from touching onheavy themes like the influence of lived experiences on identity and perception.
The best example of this within the film is the different retellings of what happened toBeatrice at the college party in It’s What’s Inside. There’s not an objectively accurate version of the story because every person’s memory is retold through the lens of their experiences and knowledge. Another example of this theme is Shelby’s choice to stay inside Nikki’s body during the climax of It’s What’s Inside, a contentious decision that ultimately speaks to the character’s perception of herself and others.
Shelby’s Envy Towards Nikki Is Hinted At The Start Of It’s What’s Inside
When Shelby decides that she wants to stay in Nikki’s body toward theend ofIt’s What’s Inside, the movie confirms that Shelby is obsessed with Nikki’s life. The horror-comedy hints at this within the first five minutes of the film when she’s getting ready to role-play during sex with Cyrus.
All these elements prove that she’s idealizing her friend’s life, a trap that’s easy to fall into when looking at social media influencers.
The wig Shelby puts on looks very similar in both color and style to Nikki’s hair, albeit parted to the middle instead of the side. She also wears lipstick almost identical to the one Nikki wears in her video. Additionally, when Shelby practices saying, “Oh, hey, cutie,” she tries to mirror her friend’s vocal tone and inflection.If she’s willing to roleplay as her friend, it shouldn’t be too shocking that she’s willing to take over her friend’s life.
How Death Works In It’s What’s Inside’s Body-Swapping
With its high-concept premise, questions naturally come up, such as how swapped consciousness impacts death in Netflix’s It’s What’s Inside.
Then, when she and Cyrus are on the way to the wedding, she spends the whole time scrolling through Nikki’s social media and ignoring her boyfriend. Immediately after getting into Nikki’s body, she decides to post a photo on her friend’s account. She’s shocked and joyful to see the number of likes and engagements. All these elements prove that she’s idealizing her friend’s life, a trap that’s easy to fall into when looking at social media influencers.
Did Shelby Want To Be Nikki Because Of Cyrus?
The Real Reason Why Shelby Wanted Nikki’s Body And Life
During the fight about who gets which body, Dennis reveals that Cyrus only started dating Shelby after getting rejected by Nikki. He’d previously tried to hook up with Shelby when she was in Nikki’s body. This raises the question whether Shelby knew that Cyrus was in love with Nikki.If she knew about his feelings, that may have influenced her feelings about taking her body back.
It’s What’s Inside: What Really Happened To Beatrice At The College Party
Though the party story is initially just gossip, what really happened to Beatrice becomes crucial to understanding the ending of It’s What’s Inside.
While nothing explicitly confirms her knowledge of the matter, it’s possible she suspected, based on her statement, that the wig thing was Cyrus’ idea. Even if she didn’t know how deep his feelings went, his suggestion that she dress up like their friend may have set off alarm bells in her head. Cyrus trying to hook up with her in Nikki’s body probably furthered her feelings that she was inadequate in her own body. After all, he had avoided sex with her previously. Shelby likely believed inIt’s What’s Insidethat she needed to be Nikki for Cyrus to want her.
