Mysterious Skin

Play trailer

Mysterious Skin

Released Sep 11, 2004

1h 39m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

116 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

One youth (Brady Corbet) becomes obsessed with UFOs, while another (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) becomes a gay hustler in the years following a childhood trauma.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Bold performances and sensitive, spot-on direction make watching this difficult tale of trauma and abuse a thought-provoking, resonant experience.

Read Critics Reviews

David Ansen

Newsweek

The movie sugarcoats nothing, but it doesn't revel in its own darkness either. It sheds a clear, compassionate, illuminating light.

Feb 28, 2018

Full Review

Noel Murray

The Dissolve

[...] For a movie about something as painful as child sexual abuse, Mysterious Skin doesn't repel. There's an allure to the images, which are as carefully posed and framed as figures in a softly illuminated dollhouse.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 17, 2014

Full Review

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Gordon-Levitt's performance is nothing short of astonishing.

Rated: A-

Nov 28, 2005

Full Review

Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

This evocative adaptation of Scott Heim's acclaimed novel is an impressive return to form for writer/director Gregg Araki (The Living End, The Doom Generation). More to the point, it's his best film.

Rated: 4/4

Jul 31, 2024

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

A harrowing, but ultimately compassionate film that will stick with you long after the credits roll.

Rated: 4.5/5

May 20, 2024

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

Araki's fearless adaptation of Scott Heim's novel is challenging and uncomfortable. Featuring a stand-out performance by Gordon-Levitt and intimate, unflinching close-up camerawork by the writer/director, Mysterious Skin is important and powerful.

Rated: 4.5/5

May 15, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Vincent R

This movie is very wired and very disturbing to watch but it’s definitely worth the watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/18/24

Full Review

Dominik G

dude

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/07/24

Full Review

Courtney K

wow. this was really well done; incredibly heartbreaking, super powerful. i kept wondering how the 2 boys' stories were going to come together - this was a really effective way of telling the story.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/17/24

Full Review

mor c

Que buena pelicula, como para no verla otra vez

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/29/24

Full Review

Jonah K

the kind of devastating that leaves you sitting through the entire credits in silence.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/31/24

Full Review

Olive

very depressing movie, but a good take on childhood trauma and the different ways people can take it. the cinematography, and characters where very likable.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Gregg Araki

Director

Brady Corbet

Brian Lackey

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Neil McCormick

Michelle Trachtenberg

Wendy

Jeff Licon

Eric Preston

Bill Sage

Coach

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Chain

63%

64%

Chain

Watchlist

Thirteen

81%

77%

Thirteen

Watchlist

Laurel Canyon

68%

52%

Laurel Canyon

Watchlist

Crash

73%

88%

Crash

Watchlist

The Woodsman

88%

77%

The Woodsman

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s 10 Best Movies

View more photos

Synopsis

One youth (Brady Corbet) becomes obsessed with UFOs, while another (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) becomes a gay hustler in the years following a childhood trauma.

Director: Gregg Araki
Producer: Gregg Araki, Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte, Mary Jane Skalski
Screenwriter: Gregg Araki, Scott Heim
Distributor: TLA Releasing, Tartan Films USA
Production Co: Fortissimo Film Sales, Desperate Pictures, Antidote Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 11, 2004, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): May 6, 2005
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 9, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $697.2K
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now