Beneath the Skin

...don't confuse yourself with a reviewer. "Beneath the Skin" is about a half-step above an ordinary student film. It has a respectable plotline and likeable characters, but it doesn't go anywhere. The script is problematic: Loose ends all over the place which scream out to be connected up and aren't; characters who do things with little or no motivation; subplots (and there are way too many) which are not fleshed out and have nothing to do with anything anyway. Some of the actors are quite promising, but the insufficiencies of the script leave them with little room to maneuver. Others of the actors are just not as yet very good (and may never be). The nudity is largely gratuitous. (If nudity isn't motivated, don't use it. In the 21st century, nudity no longer needs to barely suggested, but if the characters are going to have sex, it also no longer works to just hint at it.) The scenery in Nova Scotia is beautiful, of course, and in general the cinematography takes advantage of that, although at times the shots seem to be largely just random filler. The music ranges from pleasant to annoying. The editing seems ragged, although the editor may have done the best he/she could with the footage available. In short, "Beneath the Skin" is a beginner's work. It shows potential and shouldn't be dismissed because it isn't brilliant. Let's see what comes next; the creators deserve another chance.

This was seriously terrible, on so many levels. This movie was nothing more than a vehicle for writer/director/star Ellis to make out with porn star "Hunter Page". In an interview with Page, he exposes Ellis for finding him while "viewing his work" (gee, I wonder what that means). Page didn't seek out this job, it was Ellis who pursued Page and then (conveniently) cast himself as Page's love interest. The film itself is equally awful. I literally made it to 39 minutes into it before having to turn it off. The idea that Ellis' character, who has the personality of a dead snail and the looks of the most boring accountant on earth, would cause Hunter Page to instantly fall for him and then Page be the aggressor, is beyond laughable. Steer clear of this one folks.

Honestly, I don't understand how or who gave this so-called movie such a high rating, I only can think that it was given by someone involved making it. And even so, I think it could be a bit objective, instead of promoting it without any real reason.

It is just a terrible movie, too slow, bad acting (if you can call it that), too long, and very amateurish, not to mention the inept editing. And let's not forget that repetitive and boring piano score played over and over and over, besides the unacceptable sound throughout the whole film, that sometimes it was just impossible to hear the dialogue, and then at the next minute, it was just too loud.

I am gay and have the tendency to be a lot in favor of most gay-themed movies (meaning I am usually not to severe to give them not a favorable review), but sometimes I just cannot help it and be up front and be as objective as I can, and this is one of those times.

It is very disappointing to see that there are not that many good gay-themed movies made in the USA in the last few years.

I do recognize the effort of some movie makers (including the ones that make this one) about showing gay people just like any other human being, but it would be refreshing to see some good scripts, good actors, editing, etc.

A film with no redeeming features whatsoever: a storyline with more holes in it than a colander, the pacing of a snail, gratuitous scenes of gay bashing, repetitious incidental music, amateur British actors attempting Canadian accents, and a suburban Berkshire house that doubles for a Nova Scotia apartment building (the entrance for which is the kitchen back door).

The lead, Aaron Ellis (also the writer and director), has the charisma of a soggy biscuit.

Just awful, on almost every level.

It is tempting to be very critic about this film. Yes, many motives, a lot of mistakes,awful dialogue, not small expectations, wooden acting - the supporting actors as a sort of some spice - and a story not very inspired driven and, more important, the feel about nudity as axis saving the film. But the good intentions are obvious, the story works , in some measure, for a time, as crumbs, the naivety can be, first, terrible but it sounds reasonable to end, the plot is not bad but wrong used and a better chemistry between lead actors could be a good detail. But, short, not so bad.