[6]

Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps) puts in a solid performance as a student surgeon whose life takes a serendipitous turn into the underground world of extreme body modification in Jen and Sylvia Soska's American Mary. After one odd surgery procures her some much-needed cash, her name is quickly bandied about the message boards of people who are into things like... horns, tails, split tongues, appendage swaps... you name it, really. One character in the film is trying to look as close to a living Barbie doll as possible, and asks Isabelle's character to surgically remove her nipples and genitalia (as much as possible). Another is trying to look and sound like Betty Boop. What's most interesting about American Mary is that it sheds light on a real-life subculture that most people would find interesting and perhaps a little frightening. But the Soska Sisters (who wrote and directed the feature together) paint their subjects in a flattering, sympathetic light. That's not to say the Soskas don't take advantage of the sensational potential here -- they just do it with respect.

The real monsters of the piece are the ‘regular’ Joes who attack members of the community. Isabelle’s character comes to embrace her new surgical calling in life after being drugged and raped by one of her instructors. It’s frightening to watch what great (surgical) lengths Isabelle goes to exact her revenge on the rapist. The third act also features a jealous boyfriend who starts attacking the body-mods. Remember the woman who had her girly parts removed, both top and bottom? Well, he was her guy, and I guess he kinda liked those parts. The third act is actually the most mundane. For a film otherwise full of fresh ideas and interesting personalities, I really wished American Mary could have gone out on a high.