The Skin I Live In
2011 ‘La piel que habito’ Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Synopsis
Ever since his wife was burned in a car crash, Dr. Robert Ledgard, an eminent plastic surgeon, has been interested in creating a new skin with which he could have saved her. After twelve years, he manages to cultivate a skin that is a real shield against every assault. In addition to years of study and experimentation, Robert needed three more things: no scruples, an accomplice and a human guinea pig. Scruples were never a problem. Marilia, the woman who looked after him from the day he was born, is his most faithful accomplice. And as for the human guinea pig…
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Dios mio.
Dios fucking mio.
Pardon my Spanish, but this film just knocked the wind out of me. Almodovar is one messed up genius and he pushes the boat out here with this wonderfully bizarre fairytale.
It is a fairytale in so far that it deals with real life themes but puts them in a larger than life setting. And larger than life it is. It is very difficult to write anything about this film without spoiling the plot so I won't as I feel this film is best enjoyed if you go in cold.
There is a small danger in that as I found the first half hour or so unbelievably cold and distant. And while this tone never…
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Wow.
I've seen better Pedro Almodovar movies, but never has he made one this effectively appalling and uncomfortably horrific. Antonio Banderas gives his best performance in quite some time as a plastic surgeon who lives alone after losing both his wife and daughter to tragic circumstances. The film weaves past and present in typically gorgeous Almodovar fashion to reveal exactly what the doctor's diabolical plans for revenge entail.
There's no reason to go into any more plot details. Just see this movie.
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Before this, I've never seen another Pedro Almodóvar film beforehand. Saying I did'nt know what to expect going into this is an understatement. In fact, I went in completely blind (I suggest you do the same) about what this was even about and I was amazed.
The acting is outstanding, especially from Antonio Banderas who is kinda casted against type. He's best known for his "sexy" Hollywood roles (like in Zorro and Desperado) but here, his character has this sexual obsession that is genuinely terrifying to watch and makes him unpredictable. Banderas does an outstanding job in his creepy and subtle performance. You also have to hail Elena Anaya who is just as incredible. She goes through a transformation in…
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Well that was weird.
It was good.
But it was weird.
I mean like really weird, and messed up, and disturbing, and weird.Did I mention it was weird?
Odd
But good.
But weird.Antonio Banderas plays a Doctor who's an expert on skin. He lives in an impressive house where he is seemingly holding a woman prisoner whilst he works on her skin.
To say much more would ruin the film really but the central mystery is who is this woman and how did she come to be in this situation?
What follows you couldn't possibly predict and that's what makes the film so watchable, the fact that it's so deliciously twisted............and weird! -
I'd still fuck it.
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Talk about movies you will not forget having seen them a decade ago, well, this is a perfect example.
A truly mesmerizing experience, which gets more and more uncomfortable as it progresses.
Forget the slashers with axes, true horror, that's surgeons with scalpels.
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Pocas veces el cliché de que tal director puede permitirse hacer lo que quiera, ha sido tan cierto como en este peliculón de Almodovar donde demuestra un gran potencial siniestro. Volverá por estas latitudes?
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Brilliantly insane
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Well that was weird.
It was good.
But it was weird.
I mean like really weird, and messed up, and disturbing, and weird.Did I mention it was weird?
Odd
But good.
But weird.Antonio Banderas plays a Doctor who's an expert on skin. He lives in an impressive house where he is seemingly holding a woman prisoner whilst he works on her skin.
To say much more would ruin the film really but the central mystery is who is this woman and how did she come to be in this situation?
What follows you couldn't possibly predict and that's what makes the film so watchable, the fact that it's so deliciously twisted............and weird! -
Ugh, so good. So messed up though. Watch it if you haven't.
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The most amazing movie I've ever seen!!
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So...um...wow.
While well shot and acted, The Skin I Live In succeeds in being one of the strangest films I've seen. Its artsy tone often leaves the horrific acts in a grey area between horror and comedy that results in uncomfortable scenes. Its engaging plot can often be muddled by its own strange structure. The films plot twist is extremely absurd, though profound and entertaining nonetheless.
Overall, the film clearly has cinematic and artistic merit, but I personally find its tone and structure off putting in sections.
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Pretty interesting movie, but it falls flat on its face at the end.
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30 Countries Challenge // #1 - Spain
In order to not give away any plot details, which I think is crucial for anyone to have not seen/heard of this film before, I will simply sum up my thoughts as they came to me while watching.
30 minutes:
This is pretty good, bit strange. Not sure I totally understand what's happening.60 minutes:
Quite a few different story threads going on now, how are these all going to fit together? Hang on, I hope that's not...90 minutes:
Oh god. I really picked the wrong time to eat my dinner.120 minutes:
Woah. Also urgh, and eww. But mostly wow. -
Bored of studying, I decided to check out The Skin I Live In today. This was my first Almodóvar film (What a shameful thing). I gotta say. Man, what a twist this film has! Good story, good acting but it had a lot of potential to be a very powerful film. Almodóvar explores very dark and shocking themes in this film and the character study was interesting.
An overall good, entertaining film.
3.5/5