Review of Mysterious Skin (2005) by Jesse M — 24 Aug 2009

The very despicable subject of child molestation is at the heart of "Mysterious Skin", this difficult subject is hauntingly depicted and it's repercussions linger in it's characters. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, fast becoming one of our best young actors gives an absolutely fearless performance here as a young hustler who seems to have accepted the demons of his youth and uses sex as a calming sort of retribution.

This was Levitt's breakthrough role and he shines brightest in a cast that includes excellent turns from Brady Corbet, and Elisabeth Shue as well. Corbet is the boyhood little league teammate of Levitt's character who over the years slowly comes to grips with what happened to him-shutting it out and believing instead of an alien abduction.

Shue is Levitt's mother and hits all the right notes as a single mom who loves her son but is too involved in her own personal conquests to really take notice to the transformative events that have shaped him as he grows older.

A frank, shattering, stunner of a film- it'll stay with you.