The Skin I Live In

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The Skin I Live In

R

Released Oct 14, 2011

2h 0m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

177 Reviews

84%

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25,000+ Ratings

Ever since his beloved wife was horribly burned in an auto accident, Dr. Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas), a skilled plastic surgeon, has tried to develop a new skin that could save the lives of burn victims. Finally, after 12 years, Ledgard has created a skin that guards the body, but is still sensitive to touch. With the aid of his faithful housekeeper (Marisa Paredes), Ledgard tests his creation on Vera (Elena Anaya), who is held prisoner against her will in the doctor's mansion.

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Critics Consensus

The Skin I Live In lacks Almodovar's famously charged romance, replaced with a wonderfully bizarre and unpredictable detour into arthouse ick.

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Gabrielle Rivera

Autostraddle

Banderas settles into the dark character of Dr. Ledgard with a stillness and apparent ease that gave me the chills I left the movie theater wondering if it worth it.

Jun 11, 2021

Full Review

José Teodoro

Film Comment Magazine

Almodóvar has a body of work as rigorously personal as any out there, and, even with its flaws, he wears this latest Skin rather well.

Nov 5, 2013

Full Review

Nicolas Rapold

Film Comment Magazine

Despite the typically invigorating sense of line and framing, The Skin I Live In withholds the director's customary satisfactions and affirmations. The result is a saga of obsession that, in its saturnine undertone, maintains a hard-to-enjoy integrity.

Jul 1, 2013

Full Review

Bianca Garner

Filmotomy

Banderas’ Ledgard is charismatic, sinister and full of deep rooted rage. Banderas’ performance is very remisicitant of Cary Grant in Suspicion (1941), but our suspicions of Ledgard is very much justified in The Skin I Live In.

Oct 4, 2024

Full Review

Michael Leader

Den of Geek

Alberto Iglesias' astounding score is a diverse work, taking in a wide array of tones and arrangements, shifting from high tension string sections, to electronic backbeats, from guitar drones to moody saxophone.

Rated: 4/5

May 7, 2024

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

The closest Almodóvar has come to making a horror film, The Skin I Live In is a deeply uncomfortable yet fascinating puzzle box of a film.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 27, 2024

Full Review

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Richard S

Creepy and boring. I watched this film once in 2013 and once in 2025. It might be more interesting the first watch, but there is limited rewatchability

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/20/25

Full Review

Jordan M.

Interesting from beginning to end and hours later after you think about what the hell you just watched

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/07/25

Full Review

Laurian D

Could have been great, but makes use of graphic scenes just for shock factor, and they don't add anything to the story. It's just ok and worth a watch because of that.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/18/25

Full Review

Flavio P

Ho retto 52 minuti. Ogni minuto speravo di bruciare come la moglie del protagonista.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

04/09/25

Full Review

Paul S

It was a little boring, but the story was disturbing and captivating. I definitely recommend it for drama fans!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/08/25

Full Review

Obi-wan K

:[

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/09/25

Full Review

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Pedro Almodóvar

Director

Antonio Banderas

Dr. Robert Ledgard

Elena Anaya

Vera

Marisa Paredes

Marilia

Jan Cornet

Vicente

Roberto Álamo

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Synopsis

Ever since his beloved wife was horribly burned in an auto accident, Dr. Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas), a skilled plastic surgeon, has tried to develop a new skin that could save the lives of burn victims. Finally, after 12 years, Ledgard has created a skin that guards the body, but is still sensitive to touch. With the aid of his faithful housekeeper (Marisa Paredes), Ledgard tests his creation on Vera (Elena Anaya), who is held prisoner against her will in the doctor's mansion.

Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Producer: Agustín Almodóvar, Esther García
Screenwriter: Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: El Deseo S.A., FilmNation, Canal+ España
Rating: R (Drug Use|Disturbing Violent Content|Strong Sexuality|Graphic Nudity|Language|Sexual Assault)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: European Spanish
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 14, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 10, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.2M
Runtime: 2h 0m

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