We're not in Kansas anymore.
Review of Mysterious Skin. MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.
Acting: A
Directing: B +
Writing: A
Cinematography: B
"I wish with all my heart we could just leave this world behind. Rise like two angels in the night, magically disappear."
The audience follows in the life of two young men, Neil McCormick(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Brian Lackey(Brady Corbet), as they try to solve the mysteries behind their stories and find out where they belong.
We start off with the story of Brian, taking place in summer of 1981. He's recalling the events of his childhood where his sister discovered him in the cellar with a bloody nose. He does not remember much after that but the event seems to cause many mental problems that result in physical as well. He gets bloody noses and experiences black outs, passing out at random times.
After spotting a UFO with his mother and sister, he latches onto that as if it is the answer to his questions. He begins an obsession with aliens, believing himself to be abducted after seeing a television program on the topic. Eventually, he realizes that is not the case and in fact, he could have been molested as a child. He soon discovers another boy who could have been there with him, a boy by the name of Neil McCormick.
"Where normal people have a heart, Neil McCormick has a bottomless pit. If you don't watch out, you can fall in and get lost forever."
The movie starts out in the same timeline with Neil being 8 years old and experiencing his first orgasm. Later learning that he was gay. He had an infatuation with his coach and one night is left alone at his house with him. What occurs there changes him forever. As Neil grows older, he loses himself in a world of drugs and prostitution. He leaves for Kansas for New York, one of his clients becoming too rough with him and leaving him more damaged than he already was to where he returned home for Christmas the night after.
Once there, he reconnects with Brian and they share a moment in their previous coach's house...where the audience learns that Brian was lured into their depraved world. Neil gives a graphic description of what exactly went on in the house, causing you to feel sick and yet feel sympathy, desperately wanting to hug each of the lost boys.
A love story, if you will, of understanding. Finding that one person who had been through what you went through, the one person who can express exactly how it felt for each of you and comfort you.
I expected more out of this movie, having heard fantastic reviews from it. It didn't disappoint but it didn't live up to the expectations either. Slow moving but powerful film. I really wasn't that impressed with the movie but great acting on Joseph Gordon-Levitt's part. It causes you to think out of all the 6 billion people in the world, this could be happening to more than one right now.
Acting: A
Directing: B +
Writing: A
Cinematography: B
"I wish with all my heart we could just leave this world behind. Rise like two angels in the night, magically disappear."
The audience follows in the life of two young men, Neil McCormick(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Brian Lackey(Brady Corbet), as they try to solve the mysteries behind their stories and find out where they belong.
We start off with the story of Brian, taking place in summer of 1981. He's recalling the events of his childhood where his sister discovered him in the cellar with a bloody nose. He does not remember much after that but the event seems to cause many mental problems that result in physical as well. He gets bloody noses and experiences black outs, passing out at random times.
After spotting a UFO with his mother and sister, he latches onto that as if it is the answer to his questions. He begins an obsession with aliens, believing himself to be abducted after seeing a television program on the topic. Eventually, he realizes that is not the case and in fact, he could have been molested as a child. He soon discovers another boy who could have been there with him, a boy by the name of Neil McCormick.
"Where normal people have a heart, Neil McCormick has a bottomless pit. If you don't watch out, you can fall in and get lost forever."
The movie starts out in the same timeline with Neil being 8 years old and experiencing his first orgasm. Later learning that he was gay. He had an infatuation with his coach and one night is left alone at his house with him. What occurs there changes him forever. As Neil grows older, he loses himself in a world of drugs and prostitution. He leaves for Kansas for New York, one of his clients becoming too rough with him and leaving him more damaged than he already was to where he returned home for Christmas the night after.
Once there, he reconnects with Brian and they share a moment in their previous coach's house...where the audience learns that Brian was lured into their depraved world. Neil gives a graphic description of what exactly went on in the house, causing you to feel sick and yet feel sympathy, desperately wanting to hug each of the lost boys.
A love story, if you will, of understanding. Finding that one person who had been through what you went through, the one person who can express exactly how it felt for each of you and comfort you.
I expected more out of this movie, having heard fantastic reviews from it. It didn't disappoint but it didn't live up to the expectations either. Slow moving but powerful film. I really wasn't that impressed with the movie but great acting on Joseph Gordon-Levitt's part. It causes you to think out of all the 6 billion people in the world, this could be happening to more than one right now.