The Skin I Live In Movie Review
The Skin I Live In Movie Review
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar, Starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, and Roberto Álamo
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Director Pedro Almodóvar describes this film as "a horror story without screams or frights" — but there are actually a few of both. Just not in the way modern day horror fans usually expect. The Skin I Live In is more psychological and sinister, along the lines of Georges Franju's Eyes Without a Face, Fritz Lang's M, David Cronenberg's Crash, or even the classic Frankenstein, the story follows a grief-stricken healer with a God complex. Based on a novel by Thierry Jonquet called 'Tarantula', the movie differs a little bit in that it's more linear (but no less confusing until the web intersects in the middle then spirals out to a neatly-spun, self-contained climax).
Although spoilers abound in various reviews from film fest critics and in synopses I've read, I'll keep my own plot outline brief and vague. Antonio Banderas plays skin specialist surgeon Dr. Robert Ledgard, a brilliant inventor who's on the cutting edge of technology but is firmly entrenched in and bound by inescapable human emotion and motive. It's a drive for revenge which leads him to one of the most significant medical achievements of the century… but since his work is being done in secret, he must keep it as such. Pulling all the strings from within his opulent in-house surgical suites, the diabolical doctor finds himself falling unexpectedly in love with his most beautiful, and certainly the most unusual, patient.
For anyone who's familiar with Almodóvar's body of work, you can be assured the story sidesteps away in deference to the characters. So, The Skin I Live In is more about the "I" than the "Skin" and to that end, it's quite arresting. Banderas seems the least showy of the cast, but he's like a vampiric spider at the center, drawing everyone into his secret spell. Actually, he'd rather be left alone to his vendetta, but intruders keep on coming.
There are many existential tragedies sprinkled throughout the story, not the least of which are identity-theft, morally corrupt medical experimentation, rape, suicide, and murder… yet, The Skin I Live In persists in its innate art house beauty and strangeness. It's less narrative and ultimately less entertaining than Almodóvar's previous effort Broken Embraces, but it's a pleasure to reminded of Banderas as an actor of weight. Supporting players, particularly Elena Anaya as Vera and Jan Cornet as Vicente, are top notch as well (casting is beyond key and crucial for those roles, and Almodóvar doesn't disappoint).
The visuals are stunning, as expected. But expectations are elevated with the play of light and shadow on skin. The imitation tissue created by the doctor is meant to be practically indestructible as well as burn-resistant and slash-proof, so it has an otherworldly pallor and smoothness to it even when damaged. Outward accoutrement, such as clothing, costume, furniture, structure and location, are no-less lavishly lauded by veteran DP José Luis Alcaine who sees everything as a love-struck voyeur.
Although The Skin I Live In may not be one of Almodóvar's best, it's still a cut above the rest.
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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson