Wolf Girl (2001)

**_A girl with hypertrichosis comes-of-age at a traveling freakshow_** This takes the setting of “SideShow” from the previous year and adds a teen with excessive hair growth passed off as a ferocious half-animal girl that has to be confined to a cage. It’s basically a coming-of-age drama where the girl (Victoria Sanchez) is bullied for being an outcast yet also discovers romance and hope for a normal life. To be expected, there are some shocks, including amusing ones, as well as a bit o’ horror. Sanchez is actually a uniquely attractive woman. As for the rest of the cast, Tim Curry effectively plays the show’s MC, as well as the father figure of the freaks. Meanwhile Shelby Fenner and Shawn Ashmore are on hand as bullies, but I didn’t find their mean-spiritedness organic, at least for the most part. It felt forced and should’ve been toned down. For instance, the dart scene is unbelievable (like no one would see them throwing darts at the main attraction). The film explores the theme of being a normal-looking human while being a beast inside, as well as being bestial-looking, yet having a humane heart. It has its points of interest, including a compelling and imaginative last act, but check out “Candy Corn” from 2019 for a more entertaining movie of this sort. Released in 2001, it runs 1h 37m and was shot in Castel Film Studios, Bucharest, Romania. Speaking of which, the town & denizens fail to look American, generally speaking. They smack of eastern Europe. GRADE: C+/B-