The Skin I Live In – review

Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya in Pedro Almodóvar's The Skin I Live In

Pedro Almodóvar’s latest feature, The Skin I Live In, is a darkly humorous tale of an obsessive plastic surgeon, whose groundbreaking and controversial research into skin-grafting for burn victims sees him pushing ethical boundaries and inevitably delving into the murky waters.

The Spanish director has been showered with awards and acclaim throughout his long career, but the film that woke up a wider audience to his work was his colourful and quirky 2006 release, Volver, starring Penelope Cruz. Cruz’s moving performance as a strong-willed, battling single mother amongst other women hit by misfortune, earned her a string of nominations and awards and supported her reputation as a stellar leading lady. Intriguingly the whole female cast of Volver was awarded the joint Best Actress gong at Cannes, reflecting the impact the film had as a kind of feminist triumph and highlighted the skill Almodóvar possesses in portraying compelling protagonists.

With The Skin I Live In, Almodóvar has produced another engrossing character study, in this case encompassing two hugely intriguing protagonists. Antonio Banderas plays Robert Ledgard, the seemingly ice-cold, perfectionist surgeon, who it turns out is driven by motivations deeper than merely the endeavour of his work and research. In his mansion-like home, he keeps a female subject, Vera (Elena Anaya), whom he uses for experimentation, and she appears to offer herself to his work of her own free will.

However, as with many Almodóvar films – a director/writer influenced by the work of notorious surrealist Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel – there are deeper, darker and more sinister elements at work and this engrossing psychological thriller unravels like layers of skin, revealing the rawness both Robert’s and Vera’s pasts.

The real motivations behind Robert’s actions and the truth behind his and Vera’s interlinking lives slowly become apparent – not before several twists and turns – and the baring of this truth is surprising, shocking and beautifully delivered to the viewer, with the use of flashback sequences that seamlessly run into the present. This is more than just a stylish suspense piece though, as there are significant themes being explored amidst the creepiness and humour. We see intense obsession, resolution, revenge, sacrifice and delusion.

The lead cast are unnervingly convincing and there is a great support from Marisa Paredes as Robert’s protective and slightly mad mother, Marilia, who contrives to support her son, to whatever lengths his work takes him.

The Skin I Live In is an unsettling film at times, but absorbing viewing that continually leads you to reluctantly empathise with both main characters’ predicaments and the pitch of the darkly-comic fusion is as sharp as a surgeon’s knife.

The Skin I Live In (15)
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet.
Running time: 118 minutes

The Skin I Live In is showing at the Rio Cinema until 8 September and at Rich Mix Cinema until 15 September.