Skin and Bone

A very dark film. No glamour is to be seen in this story of Hustlers, not completely aware of their position. Trying to sell themselves as actors, they slowly penetrate in a world of sex and abuse. And what a terrifying world this can turn into. The 'agency' to which the main characters become linked deals with the most sordid of sex desires, depraved sex of sadism and masochism, where clients demand daily more aggressive aspects of sex encounters. Lured with the prospects of getting jobs in the main film industry, the supposed actors complain. I found the actors of the film most effective. Beside the beautiful bodies they keep showing to the camera, they have good acting and let us feel the anguish with it they accept their abusive parts, always believing it will come to a better assignment. In particular, B. Wyatt and Alan Boyce give poignant interpretations, making you feel sorry for them and hoping they can get out of that hell. But little hope is to be expected for those involved in this hard core sadistic industry, where people are little more than meat to be served to the lions.

The plot is far from original and doesn't really make much sense. These hustlers are not teenage boys, they're grown men who in any real life scenario would know better than to let themselves be taken advantage of by a sleazy, soul-less female pimp. Still, there's a certain darkness about this film that makes it bit more watchable than the myriad of others about the gay hustler scene. The director could have taken this story in a thousand different directions, and any of other 999 would have been better than the way this movie ended, if one should even call that an ending. The editing is clumsy, and the acting fails to realistically convey either the desperation or the naiveté of the young hustlers. The main problem I find with this movie is that its denouement is an anticlimax.

Very much enjoyed this nasty, little portrait of the L.A. hustling scene where aspiring actors find themselves at the bottom of the barrel while they wait, usually in vain, for their big break. The acting was surprisingly good for this low budget production. Clearly, the director didn't worry about shying away or sanitizing his subject matter. Sure, there's not much here we haven't already seen, but never this graphic. Which makes it all the more honest. And the avalanche of male nudity gave this an edgy sexiness that's missing from other similar pictures like My Own Private Idaho or Johns. How can you have a movie about male exploitation and prostitution and not show nudity as they did in those two films? In this culture, I still find naked men on film to be novel and highly erotic. Alan Boyce as the hapless and sexy hustler Dean is particularly appealing, and he handles his descent into sex object status with disarming charm and innocence. Hope to see more of him soon.

If I had to call Skin And Bone anything it would be soft core pornography. It has a plot so it's not just titillating male frontal nudity. But the three actors who are called on to play our three protagonists Harry, Billy, and Dean just aren't actors or at least not even B list players.

That the plot is also incoherent so you'll have trouble following the exploits of these finely put together young men. Essentially they are three in different stages of their profession. One's a thorough professional, the other is in denial and the third is just learning the ropes.

Skin And Bone is not one to waste your time with except for reasons or prurient interest.

With its plot implausibilities and excessive violence, this is a film that is much worse than it could be. The characters are obviously able to work on their own, yet continue to work for a manipulative woman who takes a big cut of their earnings and sends them on unpleasant assignments. The ending is especially irritating because of the out-of-character total stupidity needed to resolve the plot.