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The Perfection

Name: The Perfection
Director: Richard Shepard
Released: 2018
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

9.6/10

Excellent

2018

TV-MA

Director

Richard Shepard

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Perfection stands out by placing underrepresented identities at the core of its high-stakes psychological thriller. By centering queer intimacy and female ambition, the film goes beyond including someone from a minority group without giving them real depth to make these identities crucial to the plot's progression. The production also challenges institutional norms. It replaces the typical white-dominated conservatory setting with a diverse cast of women of color, using their technical skills to propel the narrative forward. While the film tackles trauma and disability with a grim realism, it remains a powerful exploration of obsession. It effectively uses identity to critique the systemic pressures of elite achievement.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Perfection have LGBTQ+ representation?

Excellent

The film focuses on a strong, intimate romantic and physical relationship between two women, which drives the emotional development and stakes of the characters.

How does The Perfection portray gender?

Excellent

The narrative challenges traditional gender roles by emphasizing female empowerment and intellectual competition, avoiding submissive stereotypes and highlighting autonomous decision-making.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Perfection?

Excellent

The casting includes a predominantly non-white lead cast, featuring women of color in roles that require technical expertise. This disrupts the typical white-dominated setting often seen in classical music.

How does The Perfection represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story critiques the strict and predatory structures of Western music conservatories, using moral relativism to explain character actions as reactions to systemic pressures rather than individual moral failings.

Does The Perfection include disability representation?

Good

The film addresses themes of physical and psychological trauma, including self-harm, by focusing on the harsh realities of the characters' psychological states without resorting to inspirational narratives.

Present on Screen

Centers queer intimacy as a key driver of character arcs and emotional stakes.
Highlights female empowerment and autonomy by disrupting traditional gender hierarchies.
Features a diverse cast that challenges the white-dominated archetype of classical music environments.

Limited or Absent

The portrayal of physical and psychological trauma emphasizes the grim aspects of the thriller genre.

Official Synopsis

When troubled musical prodigy Charlotte seeks out Elizabeth, the new star pupil of her former school, the encounter sends both musicians down a sinister path with shocking consequences.

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