Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya in 'The Skin I Live In' - Photo courtesy Sony Pictures Classics
Pedro
Almodóvar proves himself an apt technician at sustaining suspense in
the thriller genre. Antonio Banderas returns to work with Almodóvar
for the first time in over 20 years, since his memorable performance
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!.
The years have been kind to Banderas, who brings his A game to a
deliciously diabolical role.
Plastic surgeon Robert Ledgard
(Banderas) is a mad scientist with plenty of method to his particular
madness of creating an indestructible skin. His wife died in a car
fire. His daughter committed suicide.
He harbors vengeance. But why?
The Spanish doctor conducts experiments in the privacy of his
luxurious mansion laboratory. Not even Dr. Frankenstein had it so
good. His mother (Marisa Paredes) serves as his dutiful maid.
Almodovar's meticulous attention to detail keeps you hypnotized.
Every visual component is exact in color, placement and scale.
Naturally, the evil doctor is using a human being to live inside the
hybrid-pig-DNA membrane he has perfected. His comely patient Vera
(Elena Anaya) is confined to a large room. She wears a skin-tight
body suit and practices yoga for hours on end. Dr. Ledgard secretly
observes Vera through a large two-way mirror. Anaya is an exquisite
object of fetishistic delight for Almodovar to pour his patient
camera over.
Based
on Thierry Jonquet's novel Mygale, The Skin I Live In
is a haunting film that tips its hat to Alfred Hitchcock. There's
also a goodly dose of Georges Franju's 1960 French horror classic
Eyes Without a Face. Elliptical time shifts tell the story in
a disjointed fashion that makes you want to see the film twice even
as you're watching it. There's mystery here to savor as you would any
great piece of cinematic art. Plan on seeing it twice. Grade: A
Opens Nov. 11. Check out theaters and show times, see the trailer and get theater details here.
