The Skin I Live In
2011 · Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Original language: Spanish
- drama
- horror
- mystery
- thriller
The story
A brilliant plastic surgeon creates a synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession.
What it’s like
Cool, clinical surfaces against warm, saturated interiors: a Toledo villa of white walls, glass and sterile operating rooms lit by cold overhead light, set against Almodóvar's signature reds, pinks and ochres in flashback and in the colourful costumes of the rest of the world. Compositions are tightly framed and symmetrical, with long unhurried static shots that let unease build in still rooms, and the score by Alberto Iglesias runs on spare strings and low pulses that tighten the tension. The mood is cool, uncanny obsession, a slow-burn psychological thriller with a gothic chill. Its violence is brief but shocking, including a rape and a graphic act of revenge, so it lands hard rather than lingering in gore, and its sexual content is frank. Its pacing is deliberate, its emotional register cold and uneasy, and the arc follows a controlling surgeon and the woman he holds captive as the past slowly comes apart. It suits viewers who enjoy dark, stylish puzzles and don't need comfort from their thrillers.
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