Mysterious Skin (2004)

Directed by

Gregg Araki

Genre

LGBTQ-related film, coming-of-age film, drama film, teen film

Country

United States, Netherlands

Runtime

1h 45m

Rated

NR

Rating

7.7 of 10 from 1,304 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

Two teenage boys reckon with the long-term effects of sexual abuse they experienced as children. One becomes a detached sex worker while the other constructs a fantasy involving aliens to cope with his trauma.

disturbingmelancholicintimateunsettlingbleakemotionalrawquiet

What happens

Mysterious Skin is a 2004 coming-of-age drama film written, produced, and directed by Gregg Araki, adapted from Scott Heim's 1995 novel of the same name. The film tells the story of two pre-adolescent boys who both experienced sexual abuse, and how it affects their lives in different ways into their young adulthood. One boy becomes a reckless, sexually adventurous prostitute (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), while the other (Brady Corbet) retreats into a reclusive fantasy of alien abduction. Mysterious Skin premiered at the 61st Venice International Film Festival in September 2004, moving into wider distribution in May 2005 without a rating. It grossed $2.1 million at the box office and received critical acclaim. Psychologists have praised Mysterious Skin for its accurate depiction of the long-term effects of child sexual abuse. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

More like this

• Jongens (2014)
• Simon (2004)
• A Home at the End of the World (2004)
• Crutch (2004)
• Dorian Blues (2004)
• Helpline (2004)
• Samaritan Girl (2004)
• Imaginary Heroes (2004)