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The new films, such asSkincare, can sometimes be downright Hitchcockian. It is a contemporary thriller with more on its mind than most regarding social media and the vain narcissism that grows like a garden of invasive and unwanted weeds. Clever, suspenseful, and surprising,Skincareis a gripping tale of obsession that hits close to home.
Elizabeth Banksgives the best performance of her career as Hope Goldman, an up-and-coming celebrity aesthetician in the City of Angels. Hope is about to unveil her own makeup line after a successful run with a boutique shop in town. Business is booming for Goldman, who just wrapped up a viral interview with a popular Los Angeles news station designed to help with the launch.
Elizabeth Banks inSkincare (2024)| Image via IFC Films
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SkincareReview and Synopsis
However, things take a turn when a rival, Angel Vergara (Narcos: Mexico’sLuis Gerardo Méndez), opens a boutique across the way. Not only does Hope see her most popular clients leaving, but she also becomes a victim of “cancel culture” and social media sabotage when someone hacks her account and emails her entire client list, making it appear as though she’s having a mental breakdown.
The script is filled with dubious and shady characters. For instance,Lewis Pullmanappears as Jordan, a failed actor turned life coach, whom Hope meets at her office while Jordan accompanies one of her top clients to her shop. The lineup also includes a shady importer/exporter (Watchmen’sErik Palladino) and a philandering newscaster (The Suicide Squad’sNathan Fillion) and veteran of the under-the-radar sexual harassment, rounding out the nefarious ensemble.
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Skincareis Downright Hitchcockian
Director Austin Peters, making his feature film debut behind the camera, delivers a film that is downright Hitchcockian at times, building unbearable suspense throughout all three acts. Half the fun comes fromElizabeth Banks, playing a character with very little moral ambiguity. In movies like this, such characters usually lead to a predictable ending.
However, since the character is a villain like everyone else, it leaves the audience questioning where the story takes them. Hope is practically a serial killer of moral behavior, destroying the integrity of everyone around her. The script, written by Peters, who co-wroteSkincarewith first-time writers Sam Freilich and Deering Regan, marries subject matter and character more seamlessly than any you’ll possibly see this year.
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IsSkincareWorth Watching?
Skincareis worth watching for Banks’s stellar performance. With so many standout scenes, including one withFillion, it truly shows how wicked her turn can be. Almost sinister, Hope does come full circle, finding her true humility. Along with Pullman, “Bob” fromTop Gun: Maverickalso delivers the performance of his career, full of conceited zealotry and scintillating ambition.
There is a fool’s trust between Banks and Pullman, which is a dark comic to watch that builds and works on many levels, bringing a layer of complexity to the characters that provides a narrative depth. Including modern themes of validation and self-worth that resonate more than in most thriller fare that relies on social behavior to tell their story.
Skincareoffers enough thrills and chills, with a few well-placed twists and turns and a script dripping with organic paranoia, that make Peters’ film a work of gripping suspense. In a month that is usually set aside for films Hollywood likes to discard into the August trash heap,Skincare(and the upcomingStrange Darling) is a thriller not to be missed.
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You can watch Skincare only in theaters on August 16th.
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M.N. Miller
Film & Television Critic
Articles Published :336
M.N. Miller is a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Mansfield University and a Master’s from Chamberlain University. However, he still puts on his pants one leg at a time, and that’s when he usually stumbles over. When not writing about film or television, he patiently waits for the next Pearl Jam album and chooses to pass the time by scratching his wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. M.N. Miller was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs but chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. you may also find his work on Hidden Remote, InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Geek Vibes Nation, and Nerd Alert.
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