Excision

Pauline is a disturbed, delusional high school student whose fascination with blood and surgery drives her to extreme actions. She orchestrates her own 'first surgery' and uses others as unwilling participants in her disturbing fantasies. Her cold, methodical demeanor masks deep-seated insecurities and a craving for control over life and death.

Grace is Pauline's younger sister who suffers from cystic fibrosis, a fragile figure in need of a transplant. Her illness makes her a target of her sister's perceived 'surgery' and creates the emotional core of the family conflict. Her resilience and vulnerability contrast with Pauline's chilling certainty.

Phyllis is the controlling, Christian mother whose anxieties about family reputation and Grace's health shape the household. Her protective instincts often feel suffocating, contributing to Pauline's sense of autonomy and rebellion. She embodies the conflict between faith, control, and maternal love.

Bob is the father whose strained marriage and distant presence heighten the family's dysfunction. He becomes a silent witness to the escalating chaos, torn between trying to maintain normalcy and acknowledging the danger in his home. His role underscores the breakdown of parental guidance.

Adam is the teenage boy Pauline sex with and whose relationship with her triggers a cascade of social backlash. He becomes entangled in Pauline's dangerous fantasies, experiencing disgust and confusion as the situation spirals. His presence exposes the consequences of Pauline's actions on peer relationships.