'Stuffed' Review: Melling, Comer in Taxidermy Musical — SkimNews
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- "Stuffed" is a musical directed by Theo Rhys about Bernie, a sandwich factory worker who agrees to let a taxidermist turn him into a specimen after concluding no one would attend his funeral
- Harry Melling plays Bernie, whose mother's dementia has progressed to the point where she no longer recognizes him, driving him to consider suicide before answering a newspaper ad
- Jodie Comer plays Araminta, a loner taxidermist whose ultimate dream is to embalm a human body as the crown jewel of her fauna collection
- Joss Holden-Rea co-wrote the film with Rhys and composed an orchestral score, with Wyatt Garfield serving as cinematographer; standout musical sequences include Bernie dancing across the sandwich conveyor belt to give his two-week notice
- The film's songs function as emotional catharsis rather than conventional musical numbers, with characters often singing through dialogue — Comer and Melling's chemistry anchors even the grisliest scenes
- "Stuffed" premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival and is currently seeking U.S. distribution
Why it matters: The film's unconventional blend of body horror, musical theater, and bleak romance has left it still seeking U.S. distribution despite a TIFF 2026 premiere, meaning its commercial fate depends on finding a distributor willing to platform genre-defying material.
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