Review for Mysterious Skin

Director: Gregg Araki

Released: 2004

Genre: Drama

Mysterious Skin is a difficult film to watch because it so intensely highlights the devastating consequences of sexual abuse. It effectively shows how such a horrifying act erodes the lives of its victims, and how different people react to it, both in the short and long term. Gregg Araki directed Mysterious Skin with great care and sensitivity- some moments are funny, others emotionally devastating, and we come to care for the characters that are worth caring about. He shows how effortlessly it is for some people to deceive others, especially when they deceive themselves.

The movie tells the story of two boys named Brian and Neil, portraying their lives from the time they were eight years old (in 1981) to the time they reach college age a decade later. Both were molested by their little league baseball coach as children- only Neil (played as a child by Chase Ellison and as a teenager by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) remembers this, as his abuse was repeated, whereas Brian (played by George Webster and Brady Corbet) was only assaulted once and does not initially recall the incident. As Brian matures, he becomes sullen and withdrawn, believing that he was abducted by aliens as a child; he experiences undiagnosed fainting spells and nosebleeds, which he believes are the effects of this encounter. Neil evolves into a polar opposite of Brian, becoming dangerously promiscuous and prostituting himself in his Kansas hometown, and eventually on the streets of New York City. After graduating from high school, Brian begins searching for Neil at the behest of a fellow extraterrestrial enthusiast, as the latter appears in his flashbacks of the event. Neil's mother tells Brian that he moved to New York City just hours before Brian arrived at her house. It isn't until Christmas that the two finally meet each other again, when Neil is given a plane ticket to fly back home for the holidays. What ensues is the final scene of the film, where everything both falls apart and falls into place.

On a technical level, Mysterious Skin is a little odd- the music exudes a sort of aural peace, even through the more traumatizing parts. Scenes fade in and out, providing a sense of disorientation, and are quite colorful despite the dreary subject matter. My guess is that such a presentation was intentional- it creates a dream-like sensation, much like the emotional detachment that plagues Brian and Neil.

Though distracting in parts, such stylistic oddities are forgiven by the sheer power many scenes hold. One particularly touching part involves a customer Neil picks up in a bar. The man's gaunt, weathered appearance is unnerving, and I suspected Neil was about to land himself in a lot of trouble. The pair arrive at the john's apartment, where both proceed to disrobe. It is apparent that the aged man is HIV positive- numerous lesions cover his arms, chest and back. Sensing Neil's hesitation, the client assures him no harm will be done: "this is the safest encounter you'll ever have." He then lays face down on his bed and requests nothing more than a back massage from Neil. The scene closes with Neil solemnly rubbing the man's shoulders.

Upon finishing Mysterious Skin, I felt extremely sad for both Brian and Neil, but hopeful that the two would be able to help each other cope with what happened to them. The characters are so genuine, I almost feel as if I'm referring to real people. It is a testament to how subtly refined the performances of the main actors and actresses are. This summer, Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be staring in a blockbuster titled G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and though I haven't yet seen it, I can pretty much guarantee that his part in Mysterious Skin will remain the more satisfying one, on all counts. The same will probably hold true for the two films as a whole.

3.25/4.00