Warning: This article contains major spoilers for It’s What’s Inside.
In the climax of Netflix It’s what’s insideShelby’s desire to stay in Nikki’s body is revealed, pointing to deeper truths about the character. The movie follows the It’s what’s inside Characters who have many secrets such as revenge plots, unrequited crushes and jealousy. The suppressed desires come to the fore when they have the opportunity to manifest themselves in other people. The raunchy Netflix horror comedy is non-stop body-swapping fun. Still, the levity does not prevent the movie from moving on Difficult topics such as the influence of lived experiences on identity and perception.
The best example of this in the film is the different retellings of what happened to Beatrice at the college party in It’s What’s Inside. It is not an objectively accurate version of history because each person’s memory is recounted 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.
It’s what proves Shelby has an unhealthy obsession with Nikki’s life
Shelby’s jealousy of Nikki is hinted at at the beginning of What’s Inside
When Shelby decides that she wants to stay in Nikki’s body to the end of It’s what’s insideThe movie confirms that Shelby is obsessed with Nikki’s life. The horror-comedy hints at this in the first five minutes of the film when she is ready to role-play during sex with Cyrus.
All these elements prove that she idealizes her friend’s life, a trap that is 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, although parted down the middle instead of on the side. She also wears lipstick almost identical to the one Nikki wears in her video. Additionally, when Shelby practices saying, “oh hey cuteShe tries to mirror her friend’s vocal tone and inflection. If she’s willing to act like her friend, it shouldn’t be too shocking that she’s willing to take over her friend’s life.
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Then, when she and Cyrus are on their way to the wedding, she spends the entire time scrolling through Nicki’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 is shocked and happy to see the number of likes and engagements. All these elements prove that she idealizes her friend’s life, a trap that is 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 over who gets what body, Dennis reveals that Cyrus only started dating Shelby after he was rejected by Nikki. He had previously tried to hook up with Shelby when she was in Nikki’s body. This raises the question of whether Shelby knew Cyrus was in love with Nikki. If she knew about his feelings, it might have influenced her feelings about taking her body back.
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Although nothing explicitly confirms her knowledge of the matter, it is possible that she suspected, based on her statement, that the wig thing was Cyrus’ idea. Even if she didn’t know how deep his feelings were, his suggestion that she dress up as their friend might have set off alarm bells in her head. Cyrus trying to hook up with her in Nikki’s body probably forwarded her feelings that she was inadequate in her own body. After all, he had avoided sex with her before. Shelby probably believed It’s what’s inside That she needs to be Nikki for Cyrus to want her.