Mysterious Skin

Gregg Araki Returns
Scott Heim’s Novel Makes for a Cinematic Masterwork
By Cole Smithey

Hack exploitation filmmakers like Todd Solondz ("Palindromes") or Larry Clark ("Kids") will quake in their boots at Gregg Araki’s sophisticated, innovative, and honest cinematic rendering of a troubling story about the different trajectory of two boys molested by their Little League baseball coach (played by Bill Sage) in Hutchinson, Kansas. Adapted from Scott Heim’s 1995 novel of the same name, Gregg Araki ("Totally F***ed Up") returns to directing after a five year absence to deliver an understated masterpiece of modern cinema that tackles the subject of pedophilia in a deeply personal and dramatically dynamic way. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a sublime performance as Neil McCormick, an emotionally traumatized victim of pedophilia who turns to prostitution to resolve his emotional conflicts. "Mysterious Skin" is a devastating yet beautiful film that honors its fragile characters with vital respect.

Brian Lackey (Brady Corbet) is an 18-year-old teenager obsessed by the belief that he was abducted by aliens when he was 8-years-old. Brian is plagued with nightmares about a five-hour period he can’t account for. He looks to the companionship of fellow UFO-believer Avalyn Friesen (Mary Lynn Rajskub) to help piece together shards of memory that might fill in the blanks. The discovery of a Little League team photo links Brian to Neil McCormick. The two boys eventually unite on a joint mission of discovery that releases the truth of their shared molestation at the hand of their baseball coach.

Gregg Araki liberally uses the camera to subjectively build the story from the viewpoint of the boys, with an emphasis on Neil’s character as a more self-destructive victim of sexual abuse.

The filmmaker allows spontaneous humor to punctuate the story beneath a bright visual palate that balances dark moments of sexual betrayal. From its unobtrusive use of voice-over narration to its balancing of documentary and surreal narrative style, "Mysterious Skin" takes the audience on a disturbing journey that an unknown number of children suffer from. It’s a imperative movie to see.

Rated R. 99 mins. (A) (Five Stars)