Review of Mysterious Skin (2005) by Tyler M — 31 Mar 2012

There was nothing they could do.

An eye opening experience, but once they're open you won't be able to close them.

The Story: Two victims of childhood molestation grow up to lead very different lives. One becomes a male prostitute, while the other convinces himself that he was abducted by aliens. I know it sounds a little odd, but once you see it, you'll believe every second of it. It's a dual narrative, but it's still a little one sided. It's got a gritty realistic style that will keep you watching, but believe me when I say this, you're going to want to look away. This is by far the most difficult film I've ever sat through. Even though the film has been carefully crafted in a way that you don't see anything, you know exactly what's going on. And believe me, the child molestation scenes are just graphic enough to make you want to vomit. And consider this a warning, even if you think you've seen enough violent films, and you think homosexuality in film doesn't bother you, you're still in for a disturbing surprise. This film doesn't sugar coat anything, the sound effects, the visuals, the language, EVERYTHING will have cringing. There's a lot of sexuality in this film not just the molestation scenes, but numerous sex scenes as the children have grown up. And consider this another warning, there's a rape scene here that perhaps the most disturbing, most unsettling, most violently realistic, most vulgar and graphic scene I have ever witnessed.

The Cast: Chase Ellison, George Webster, Bill Sage, Brady Corbet, Joseph Gordon-Levitt... Chase Ellison is young Neil, the child convinced that what happens to him is okay. One of the better child actors to hit the screen. He gives a good performance here, and although he's not in it for most of the film he still proves that someday he could be one hell of an actor. George Webster is young Brian, the child that blacks out every time he's taken advantage of. He doesn't remember what happens to him, convincing himself that his black outs are caused by alien abductions. He gives a solid performance here, but you don't see too much of him. Bill Sage is the Coach, the man responsible for their messed up lives. He gives an unsettling performance and if you were to see him in person after this you would honestly want to punch him in the face. He's that realistic and that good. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is grown up Neil, now a male prostitute, searching for the feeling that he once thought was love. Giving the performance of a lifetime, unfortunately it's not a performance you're going to want to sit through more than once. Truly unforgettable. Brady Corbet is older Brian, mentally blocking every memory of his childhood problems and convinced that he was abducted by aliens. Slowly piecing things together he finds that the truth is more disturbing than he thought. Like I said it's a dual narrative, and you hear both sides of the story, but it's a little unbalanced and you'll find yourself seeing more of Levitt than Corbet.

One to Five Scale: 4.

The outstanding performances, the moving script, the cinematography, and a level of realism that could scare anyone, all make this a film worth seeing, but you're not going to want to see it more than once.

Tyler.