BUT WHY THO: REVIEW: ‘Bloody Hell’ Goes Deep
March 13, 2023
"Having to see a gynecologist is scary for a number of reason. When we visit them for the first time, and honestly many times after that, we bring in expectations of what who we’re supposed to be. To be “healthy” we have to be able to have kids, we have to have our periods, and just align with where society thinks we should. So when you enter an office where you don’t fit any number of standards, it’s terrifying. In Bloody Hell, writer-director Molly McGlynn explores the way medical moments can impact our sense of self and how the clinical nature of diagnoses can and do dehumanize people.
At its core, Bloody Hell is a coming-of-age “traumedy” that follows 16-year-old Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) who is unexpectedly diagnosed with MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis upends her plans to have sex, her presumptions about womanhood and sexuality, her relationship with her mother (Emily Hampshire), and most importantly, herself. Throughout the film, Lindy tries to figure out who she is and in the process, grows, even if it’s traumatic in some ways and liberating in others."
