Skin - À Flor da Pele

I found this movie on BluRay at my public library. My wife chose not to view it.

The core story is based on a real person who got caught up in the Racist Skinheads, starting as a 14-yr-old, thus the title "Skin." At some point, after he got in with a mother and her children, he decided to leave it, reform his life, and have all his facial tattoos removed, a process that took a year and a half and 24 separate painful treatments. He was instrumental in getting convictions for a number of outlaws in the movement.

Jamie Bell is really good as Bryon Widner, most of the other characters are fictional, perhaps inspired by real people in his life. The movie paints a very dark and dangerous picture of white supremacists, often difficult to watch but important to understand.

This film tells the story of a young man who exits a racist organisation.

It's a remarkable true story, one that deserves to be seen by a wider audience. Acting is great, particularly Byron and his wife.

This is worth a watch. It's certainly not Oscar worthy nor a one star crap. I know the story and they did take a few liberties with it, but none that really change the heart of it. The acting was good as was the cinematography which aptly conveyed the bleak realities of a hate group in the middle of a rust belt winter, whether belonging to one or trying to extricate yourself from one. It's a good movie. To me the worst thing was that nerve wracking, heavy metal cello they threw in at odd times. Definitely way low marks for the soundtrack.

When Bryon falls for mother of-three Julie (Patti Cake$ star Danielle Macdonald), however, he find the impetus for change, especially when she has no wish for her kids to be around the hatred spewed out by his socalled 'brothers'. While he has encouragement from an activist (Mike Colter) who looks to help him reform, Bryon's efforts inevitably cause tensions with Fred, Shareen and the others. Writer-director Guy Nattiv weaves in several sequences in which Bryon endures the agonising removal of his tattoos, symbolically shedding his former persona. It's hardly a spoiler to reveal that he does turn his back on his right-wing roots, but Skin is more about the painful journey he undertakes to get there. Bell and Macdonald make for an authentic grass-roots couple, although Nattiv never quite convinces us that their love is enough to motivate the change in Bryon. As a result, the script loses some momentum in the final third. But in the wake of Charlottesville, Skin is still a timely, provocative piece, flush with hope.

User freqeteq's review is on point, especially the fake 10's and idiotic 1's.

This is a solid B-grade biopic by newb writer, director and producer Guy Nattiv (only his 4th full length feature film, priors all short films).

His camera work and directing his scenes and cast was excellent, and all actors were outstanding, especially Jamie Bell.

The cinematography was great and the score on point. A few plot issues, and the pacing could've been better/faster, or some scenes edited down, as the 2 hour runtime felt much longer. But for a newb writer/director mainly experienced in short films, these technical issues can be easily forgiven.

An enjoyable biopic, and well deserving of an honest 8/10 from me.