Mysterious Skin

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Mysterious Skin

2004

1h 39m

Drama

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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.

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Critics Consensus

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

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David Ansen

Newsweek

02/28/2018

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

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Noel Murray

The Dissolve

03/17/2014

4/5

[...] 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.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

11/28/2005

A-

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

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Jun 28

3/4

A moving film that examines the betrayal of childhood innocence as well as the fallibility of roiling memories.

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Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

07/31/2024

4/4

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.

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Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

05/20/2024

4.5/5

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

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Alex A

@RT05801140 Mar 28

10/10, don't recommend it

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AJ

Mar 23

Stumbled upon this film whilst checking out Mubi having never seen JG-L in his earlier works and thought he, amongst his fellow actors played their character roles in this storyline incredibly well.

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Gabriella L.

@gxbbie Jan 18

beautifully disturbing, one of my favorites but never watching again.

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Luis V.

@KIDDR.0 Dec 24

This movie was definitely an uncomfortable watch. but I have to say this is one of the best movies I’ve ever watched. Gordon’s acting was amazing and explores a topic that usually isn’t talked about much. I would never watch this movie again but I would 100% recommend this this movie is so raw and does not sugarcoat anything.

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Joey B

@RT78214132 Sep 10

I didn't think I could watch a movie that made me feel more uncomfortable than "the substance," but this movie did. Very different movie, but I had that similar since of uneasiness and dread throughout. This movie was beautifully made. From the cinematography to the acting. It's a very disturbing and uncomfortable watch but that's the point. These issues are important to acknowledge. I found myself in so many of the characters and I understand them. The duality between how SA can effect people so differently is an interesting topic that this film delves into. How SA lead to Neil being hypersexual and Brian being basically asexual was so accurate and telling of what it's like to be a victim.

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Lluis F

@RT74780160 Aug 19

Everyone should see it at least two times to really feel the message. The way this movie gets into your skin is crazy and it's one of the best representation regarding SA to young kids, you can genuinely feel disgusted in the best way ever, I can't stretch it enough how amazing this movie is to a technical point, it's not only a movie to me but rather an icon regarding one of the most controversial topics present in our society's modern world. Also a little side note on how respectful it is when talking about the topic, being a pioneer in it.

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Gregg Araki

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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: Antidote Films, Fortissimo Film Sales, Desperate Pictures
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

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