MysteriousSkin

2005 • 105 minutes
4.5
107 reviews
87%
Tomatometer
Eligible
Watch in a web browser or on supported devices Learn More

About this movie

Director Gregg Araki’s MYSTERIOUS SKIN, adapted from Scott Heim’s acclaimed novel, is an intensely powerful chronicle of childhood innocence lost. The film features starmaking turns from Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, Looper, The Dark Knight Rises) and Brady Corbet (Thirteen) alongside outstanding performances from co-stars Michelle Trachtenberg (Eurotrip, Ice Princess), Mary Lynn Rajskub (TV’s 24) and Academy Award® nominee Elizabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas). At the age of eight, Kansas youngsters Neil and Brian played on the same little league baseball team. Now, ten years later, the two boys couldn’t be more different. Neil is a charismatic but emotionally aloof male hustler while Brian is a nervous introvert obsessed with the idea that he has been abducted by a UFO. When the boys’ parallel lives inevitably intersect, the pair unearth dark, repressed secrets on a harrowing and unforgettable journey of self-discovery.

Ratings and reviews

4.5
107 reviews
Carter Gibson
February 17, 2015
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's beautifully shot, entrancing, and thrilling. Unafraid to tackle some of the most mature subject matter there is, Mysterious Skin delicately weaves two separate stories together into a conclusion that left me sobbing. Seriously. Sobbing. Not some, "Oh a few tears," kind of cry. Sobbing. This picture is a masterpiece of cinema that should not be missed.
14 people found this review helpful
Did you find this helpful?
Michael Watson
February 19, 2019
I DON'T LIKE WATCHING CHILDREN BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED, THEY SHOULD NOT SHOW MOVIES LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT GIVES MEN OR WOMEN WHO ARE PERVERTS AND PREY ON LITTLE GIRLS OR BOYS WHO CAN'T DEFEND THEMSELVES. I KNOW IN OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THEY HAVE NO LAWS AND CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO CHILDREN AND GET AWAY WITH IT, IF YOU ASK ME HOW I FEEL ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN OTHER COUNTRIES, I THINK IT'S SICK, DISCUSSION,HORRIBLE AND AGAINST ALL HUMAN BEINGS AND A IT'S REALLY NOT NORMAL.
6 people found this review helpful
Did you find this helpful?
A Google user
April 19, 2018
I rented this movie a few years ago from an LGBT library collection. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is excellent in this role. The music is eerie, story line slightly awkward, but overall a great coming of age film. I recommend to 1st timers, seeking to "understand" the gay lifestyle or relate to a family member.
Did you find this helpful?

Rate this movie

Tell us what you think.