MovieChat Forums > Mysterious Skin (2005) Discussion > What am I missing here?

What am I missing here?

posted 11 years ago by TheBeardedWonder
3 replies | jump to latest

I'm not trying to be patronizing or put anyone down for their opinion, please don't see it as such. I just can't understand all the love for this movie though! The user score is high, the critic reviews are great, the board is full of praise for it, etc. Obviously it's me and not the movie itself, so i'm asking what I'm missing when it comes to this movie.

The story was boring and has been done before, the pacing was off and felt sluggish, the writing was boring with no real reason to care about anyone, the characters over the top and straight out of the 'movie character handbook', the acting just so-so (except for the always great JGL), the scenes repetitive and uninvolving, and the whole thing was just so flat and...expected maybe?

You know exactly where it's going right from the start, then it gets there in a boring and slow way. The comedy wasn't funny and the drama was half baked at best. I wanted to like it, i'd heard great things and had been meaning to check it out for years. When I finally did though, it wasn't nearly the great piece of art i'd thought it'd be. The whole thing was underwhelming and left me wanting a better movie.

You could watch this movie on 10x fast forward and you'd still know exactly what's going on at all times, which is not a good sign...

"What? Do you wanna just sit around and be wrong?" - Liz Lemon

[–] bakerstreetdozen 11 years ago

I can't think of another film that has achieved what this one has. If another director, another writer, and other actors had been involved, it could have been an utter disaster. This film needed to be handled with very careful direction and carried out by delicate, effective acting by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the character of Neil -- and he did so wonderfully, at once charismatic, hollow, and heart-breaking.

The subject matter is horrifying in its portrayal of paedophilia/child abuse and the different effects it has on those who are victims, painting two completely different portraits in the two leads, and yet Gregg Araki and his actors managed to make a film which I would honestly consider to be beautiful. That's not an easy thing to do.

--
My middle name is ready. No, that doesn't sound right. I eat ready for breakfast.

[–] TheCineSinge 11 years ago

Very well put.

[–] leah-sees 9 years ago

Comedy? Are you sure you're reviewing the correct film?