Not only does It Live Inside, It also Makes Generic Movies. You’ve seen this one before… like… all the damn time. But at least this one has the hook of a different cultural identity even though it feels like a costume the script put on to look different while being the same underneath.

The film follows an Indian-American teenager who accidentally lets something out that was living inside (a glass jar). Now the generic spook is tormenting her, her friends, and random teachers by showing up randomly to go boo.

The immigrant thing is about all this movie has going for it. The main character isn’t connected to her heritage which generates some decent moments with her family. The demon thingy is apparently from Indian folklore… but it kind of reminds me of a handful of Jewish dybbuk movies where that haunt might as well be any random demon for all it really matters. Just a hanger for generic scares from generic monsters.

I did at least like the finale… not necessarily the showdown but the resolution. It kind of cleverly re-contextualizes the film’s generic title… and it’s a different solution than you might normally get from these kinds of flicks.

It Lives Inside doesn’t try very hard but at least it’s cultural identity provides a slight variation on the usual. It’s just barely enough to keep the flick slightly interesting and that’s something for a movie that’s otherwise kinda nothing.

Score: 72