Jodie Comer’s latest attempt to turn theatrical daring into movie-star momentum has hit a sour note. Stuffed, a corpse-themed musical screened in TIFF’s Discovery section, gives Comer and Harry Melling a romance built around taxidermy, body horror and original songs. The Hollywood Reporter calls it a “discouraging slog,” criticizing its pacing, lyrics and reliance on gross-out shocks. The Hollywood Reporter
Theo Rhys directed and co-wrote the 1-hour-57-minute film with Joss Holden-Rea. Comer plays Araminta, an isolated woman who wants to preserve a human body; Melling plays Bernie, a lonely food-processing worker drawn to her promise of a strange kind of immortality.
That premise is bold enough to earn attention. The problem, according to the review, is that the songs and story do not make the macabre romance feel emotionally persuasive. Instead, the film’s central gamble becomes its central weakness.
Impact assessment
For Comer, the film is an unusual showcase that appears unlikely to become the breakthrough role its ambition demands. One poor review will not erase her work in Killing Eve, Prima Facie or recent films, but it weakens Stuffed as an immediate argument for her as a major cinematic lead.
The larger risk falls on original-musical filmmakers. Stuffed arrives in a market already wary of new musicals without familiar intellectual property or a famous songbook. If festival gatekeepers and distributors echo these complaints, financiers may become even more cautious, pushing creators toward adaptations, franchises and established music catalogues.
That would make TIFF’s Discovery slot a mixed signal. The festival has given an eccentric original work a platform, but the film’s reception may encourage future programmers to demand a clearer balance between provocation and accessibility.
The wider outcome remains uncertain: this review does not establish the film’s broader critical reception, audience response, distribution plans or commercial prospects.
Scenarios
Our outlook (informed speculation):
Most likely: Stuffed remains a niche festival title over the next several months. If later reviews repeat concerns about the songs, pacing and tone, distributors will likely limit their investment or target specialist audiences, while Comer’s next projects draw more career attention than this one.
Upside: The film finds a larger platform despite the review. If TIFF audiences respond warmly to its strange premise and a distributor sees value in its originality, Stuffed could secure a meaningful release and give Comer a more visible musical lead.
Downside: The film reinforces industry caution around original musicals. If negative reviews multiply and no audience or sales momentum offsets them, its commercial path could narrow further, making producers more dependent on recognizable properties and leaving Comer with little immediate career lift from the project.
What to watch next
- A named distributor announces an acquisition or release during or soon after the festival.
- Additional reviews either challenge or reinforce the criticism of the music, pacing and tonal balance.
- Comer’s next casting, awards attention or trade coverage begins to outweigh Stuffed in the conversation around her career.
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