Under the Skin

Samantha Morton has a reputation as a fine actress; but to me, she also has a reputation for appearing in "difficult" movies, and 'Under the Skin' is no exception. It tells the story of two sisters who struggle to cope with their mother's death; Morton's character cuts her ties with normal life, while her insecure sister manipulatively attempts to maintain the status she had as their mother's favourite. Of course, in a world of bland thrillers and romances, "difficult" can be a synonym for "good", and the drum-heavy soundtrack, and some disorienting camera-work, are actually quite effective at getting the viewer inside of Morton's head. On the downside, occasionally the film is slightly heavy-handed in making its points, the conclusion seems rather stuck-on, and not following naturally from the climax of the drama; and the world portrayed is, until that conclusion, one almost wholly without joy, so it makes for gruelling watching. It's an interesting film, but in the end, not quite original enough to make watching it an altogether pleasurable experience.

Under the Skin is a deeply touching and disturbing movie, which has affected me more than any other. If you have ever been through great sorrow, see this movie! It shows very clearly that there is no "right" way to handle your grief.

I saw Under the Skin on TV, very late, desperate to go to sleep, but I just couldn't stop watching it, it gripped me completely. It is a film about bereavment, and how different people cope with it. The film is deeply moving, courageously frank, and with a very strong visual style. The whole cast was excellent, but Samantha Morton was just fantastic. I recommend it fullheartedly.

Although I missed about the first 20 minutes of this when I saw it recently on HBO, I thought it was a very interesting film, with a brave, stunning, sexual performance by Samantha Morton. Quite a departure from her role on Jane Eyre, where I had seen her previously.

The sexuality was real and intense, and her desperation as a woman spinning out of control was effective and touching.

Some of the best acting I've seen in quite a while. And I liked the "out there" eroticism aspect of the film. True eroticism is not portrayed well in movies anymore, at least not in the US, basically because the studios lack guts.

And I liked the fact that the film was written and directed by a woman. The scene where she has phone sex with her lover and tells him what she wants to do to him is stunning, only a woman could have written that! A man would have shied away from depicting a woman's sexuality in such a frank and aggressive manner.

This is a very good film. It grabbed my attention after seeing the great Morvern Callar last week, which also features Samantha Morton. As said in other comments, Under the Skin is considered her breakthrough. She is a truly gifted actress, I love her depth of emotion.

At one point in this movie she walks along a ribbed fence, while touching it with her right hand: taktaktaktaktak. I don't know if this is a reference, but it reminded me of a scene in one of Kieslowski's Trois Couleurs films (Rouge, I believe.) There an equally tormented woman walks along a brick wall in a similar way, wounding her right hand which starts to bleed heavily.

I wouldn't say those films are really the same, but I would certainly recommend the one if someone would like the other. In both films, as well as Morvern Callar, we follow a female protagonist unable to deal with a traumatic experience, the passing away of someone very close to her. We follow her down the road of estrangement, wondering if she will ever find peace.