‘Where normal people have a heart, Neil McCormick has a bottomless black hole…’
Understandably, there aren’t many films about child abuse. It’s a taboo topic that makes people feel uncomfortable. In cinema, however, as in all art, nothing should be off limits. As long as something is true and made with love then anything is a valid expression of the form. Mysterious Skin, adapted from Scott Heim’s novel of the same name, explores the cyclical nature of abuse in a way that is both poignant and powerful…
Mysterious Skin presents the dual narrative of Neil (Chase Ellison as a child and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as an adult) being abused as a minor and the impact this had on him as a young adult. Running along side this is the intertwined story of Brian (George Webster as a kid and Brady Corbet as an adult) who was similarly abused. The cast is rounded out by Elisabeth Shue, Michelle Trachtenberg and Bill Sage.
I went into writer-director Gregg Araki’s coming-of-age tale knowing nothing about it and having just finished watching Climax – one of the most disturbing films ever made. Needless to say, this was not the pick me up that I needed in that moment. This is a dark and difficult watch. Araki doesn’t hold back on the depiction of child abuse and the lo-fi aesthetic makes these scenes even more harrowing – as does the quality of Gordon-Levitt’s performance (he delivers some of his finest work here). That being said, there are moments of levity and the almost-sweet ending ensures that this is never a film that feels totally bereft of hope. It’s also satisfying to see Shue excelling in a rare late career appearance. She is a wonderful actress when on form and apparently lobbied for her part here as she was so touched by the source material.
Mysterious Skin is a tough watch but it’s also a powerful and timely reminder that everyone has a story and it is often our childhood that shapes us and informs our own actions – just have something light queued up for when the credits roll.