The Glow Up Game

starring: KIRSTEN KENDALL & JOSEPH PURCELL

A billionaire playboy makes a bet he can turn a scrappy barmaid into high society’s next It Girl - but when real feelings get involved, the game turns dangerous, and she’s not the only one being played.

REVIEW

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the moment you read the synopsis you know what will happen here. Is this an issue? No. Because when it is well written, beautifully filmed, and has a great cast I am more than happy to watch a familiar story.

It is a stretch that Kirsten Kendall is an ugly duckling, but the disparity works well when we learn how different Lexi's upbringing is compared to Daniel's. For once we see a genuine jaw drop when she walks in Daniel's home. The wealth difference is portrayed with more nuance than the usual slanging match. Kirsten is thoroughly likeable and crucially can hold her own with Joseph Purcell as Daniel.

You need skill to make Daniel likeable, combine the charm with the pampered trust fund kid with an air of ennui. A lot is portrayed with a facical expression or the way he stands, and Joseph Purcell handles it all with ease.

As someone who is numb to the endless hypersexualisation or same old shots in verticals, it is such a relief to see an intimate scene shot differently, where the characters ask for permission and tell the other what they like. Thank you for this.

Everyone is superb - Charlie Wood looks like he has swallowed a wasp the whole vert, which is what is needed.

Mary Foster has a superb moment where she rallies Lexi to show up at the gala.

And Nikki Hru makes me feel for Camille when we have that cut to her nearly crying at the end.

It's a great script, I love the connection with Daniel's mum and Lexi.

And because it is CandyJar every part of the vertical is well done, good shots, good sounds (including an originally composed soundtrack), good vertical.

This is from team behind My Girl - Thomas Pallier and Enzyme Films - and there is a cute nod to it on the TV.

Fingers crossed Thomas Pallier makes lots more Verticals, as his involvement is a guarantee of real quality.

💖 Top swoonworthy moment:

Watch this for a masterclass in how to film romantic, intimate scenes. It is so rewarding as a viewer to see fresh ideas, new angles, different camera shots. By the way drawing on the back really works, used to use this to help my kids sleep.

🦹🏼‍♂️ Top villain award:

Charlie Wood is superb as Josh, he captures that resentful bitterness that everything comes so easy to Daniel. Even Camille is given depth, she is so hurt at the end when Daniel rejects her. Thanks for antagonists who are more rounded, and anchored in real emotion.

😂 Comedy gold:

There is some good bickering here, very satisfying to see Daniel’s usual flirting techniques fall flat with Lexi.

🎺 Unsung hero:

I think this may turn into a Mary Foster fan account, she is brilliant in everything. Reece starts out a fun, supportive bestie, but then ends up having one of the most powerful moments in the story when she tells Lexi to go to the banquet, and show the elite that she is better than all of them.

✍🏼 DETAILS

Director Thomas Pallier | 2025

Available on CandyJar