Review of The Skin I Live In (2011) by Reece L — 20 Apr 2015

"The Skin I Live In" is a bizarre look at the ways in which human beings inhabit their bodies, and the story its predicated on it fascinating. Almodóvar has a knack for visual elegance, choosing simple, clean shots over showy camerawork, and this keeps the focus on both the performances and the questions the story poses.

It's possible to say that, in a way, he's created a vehicle to perfectly portray how it must feel to be transgendered, trapped in an incorrect body that you were forced into against your will.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg; there are many ways to look at this piece of filmmaking. What's great about it, however, is that you don't have to engage in this discourse to enjoy the film.

It's fun at its most basic level, and that kind of layered experience is what ultimately makes "The Skin I Live In" an excellent work.