Mysterous Skin

Thriller; NR

2004

Going into this movie, I only heard things like "it's a really super good movie but it's a little inappropriate" and honestly that's kind of how I would describe it too. Not because it truly is only a "little" inappropriate, but because I don't want to scare people away from watching this masterpiece of a film.

Besides that little snippet, I also heard that it was a gay film, which, y'know, I LOVE. But now that I've seen this movie I realize that maybe let's not sell it that way.

No but seriously, this is one of the best movies I have seen that actually accurate depicts childhood sexual assault while not being completely boring or pouring-your-eyes-out depressing (until the very end, I guess). And since there are technically 2 main characters, you can see it through both of their eyes and see how different it can be.

I mean, seriously. The characters were terrific, the setting was good and the script was good and overall everything was actually really, really good. The message was literally terrific and that ENDING??? Hollllyyyyy shit ts got me BAWLING ts is definitely going in the spoilers section.

And yeah this movie did had it's inappropriate moments (had quite a few, actually) and that's one of the only reasons it's not a 10, I guess. But also without them I feel like the movie wouldn't be the same, I guess. Cuz like... that's literally the main character's job.

Anyway, terrific movie. Inappropriate but definitely beautiful and that ending??? Dude...

SPOILERED REVIEW!

FILLER TEXT

Right that ending fucked me up. You cannot sit there and look at me with a straight face and say the words "I did not cry thinking about the end of Mysterious Skin". Because, I mean, you see how the CSA affected Brain and Neil and you're supposed to be indifferent to the fact that the abuser just got away???

But also I feel like this is the case a lot of the time, so I feel like it is good representation for all it's worth.

Also about that one scene where Brian sees the alien spaceship... was that a dream? Cuz I know that the aliens didn't exist, cuz duh, but like... that part never got covered. Idk.

Am I glad I watched it?
Yes

Would I watch it again?
Maybe?

Would I recommend it to a friend?
Yes

Favorite Character

Brian!

Honestly I feel like all of the characters kinda resonated with me in some way. I like Wendy and Neil and Brian mostly the same but I feel like I kinda just like Brian the most.

Like, he's a big dork and is just pretty freaking cool all over, y'know? And I looove dorky characters so I LOVE this guy!

He's also like really sweet and stuff and I also like his alien obsession even though I don't think that's what we're supposed to get from this guy.

Idk. Like him lots. Yay Brian!