Skin (I) (2018) User Reviews (33)

parental influence

[ferguson-6 · 8/10 · 25 January 2019]

Greetings again from the darkness. Bestowed with an Oscar nomination for Best Live Action Short Film, this story from Israeli director Guy Nattiv, who co-wrote the script with Sharon Maymon, is stunning and frightening in how much of a punch it packs into 19 minutes. The influence parents have on their kids is at the heart of this devastating tale.

Jackson Robert Scott (Georgie from IT) stars as Troy, the young son of Jeffrey (Jonathan Tucker, "Justified") and Christa (Danielle Macdonald, PATTI CAKE$). The film opens with dad Jeffrey taking the shears to Troy's hair on the front porch. Then all 3 hop in the car with friends, singing a horribly inappropriate song on the way to shooting guns at beer bottles. Later, Troy convinces his dad to take him "surfing". Of course, there are no waves in sight ... you just have to see it to believe it.

Two things are abundantly clear: these are stereotypical hillbillies, and Troy loves his dad very much. Soon we learn something else. Dad is a white supremacist. While at the grocery store, a black man (Ashley Thomas) offers a friendly greeting to Troy, and dad snaps into vile racist mode. Seemingly out of nowhere, Jeffrey's fellow gang of racists join him in violently pummeling the friendly black man. The vicious beating takes place in front of the man's frantic wife, daughter and son (roughly the same age as Troy). It's a family that mirrors Troy's, with one exception - skin color.

It's not long before a group of African-Americans take revenge on Jeffrey, albeit in a less violent, yet more permanent and clever manner. Bronny (Lonny Chavis, "This is Us") is allowed to watch as the revenge plays out. The tables have been turned on Jeffrey, and the shocking ending proves that hate only leads to more hate ... and sometimes hate is blind. Racism is a self-perpetuating culture that survives only when passed from one generation to the next. Filmmaker Nattiv and his producing partner-wife Jaime Ray Newman remind us that we reap what we sow. They have a feature length film being released later this year based on the true story of Bryon Widner - a story that likely influenced this impactful short.

Not to be confused with the director's OTHER film called "Skin".

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 17 February 2019]

Today I went to the annual showing of the Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts. I've gone to these showings for at least a decade and must admit that this year's batch was the most god-awful films....all of them very depressing and a few so depressing that I left the theater wanting to shoot myself!!

I should point out that Guy Nattiv has TWO films called "Skin" and both of which came out in 2018!! Despite some reports that this film is a shortened version of the other, it is NOT....and both are entirely separate stories. Some news sources have inaccurately reported that they are essentially the same.

As far as the films went, I found myself very disturbed by the audience's reaction to "Skin". While I did not consider the film to be a comedy (especially since it is based on a similar story that turns out to be true!), many in the audience today laughed at the ironic ending. To me, this is very disturbing. Sure, the man who died at the end was scum, but it still was death....and laughing at it because he was a reprehensible racist seemed pretty sad to me.

The story is tough to watch...very tough. The family shown in the film is sick and easy to hate. While the parents obviously love their child, they also are avowed white supremacist nuts who live for hate and guns and violence. Not surprisingly, the father eventually ends up nearly beating an innocent black man to death. He and his friends beat the man unmercifully...and it is VERY hard to watch. Likewise, when he gets what he's earned at the end of the film, it is STILL hard to watch. My advice is that if you've been a crime victim, think twice about watching the movie....it's ROUGH.

So is it any good? Yes. Even with the film apparently making the audience LIKE seeing a horrible racist horribly killed, I must admit that it was well made. And, I appreciate the acting....it's got to be tough to play people that horrible and hate-filled. But of the five films, I also consider it among the weakest. I've heard that much of the Oscar buzz is about this short....I just cannot see it. Well made....but I have seen many, many shorts more deserving of this top honor.

Some good moments, ruined by the ending

[ianwagnerwatches · 6/10 · 12 April 2020]

There are some very powerful moments in this film, backed up by very solid performances. The ending is a bit off. I think I understand what the director was going for, but it's not quite there.

A short that sticks with you

[bret-62066 · 9/10 · 27 April 2020]

Stumbled upon this on the airplane. Most memorable film per minute of anything I've watched in years. Cleverly and efficiently done. The redneck racists were complex enough to show genuine love inside their family circles, such that the violent toll and repercussions of unfounded prejudice is extra uncomfortable for the viewer.

Pwerful!

[van-33 · 9/10 · 8 March 2019]

Skin is a well-crafted, superbly acted short with a powerful finish. The story reveals the influence on a child from nurturing, yet morally corrupted parents and demonstrates the vicious cycle of hate and racism. It's difficult to watch, no one wins, but the message is significant. You live what you learn.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?LAUGH OR CRY?!

[sreeragmeppadath · 10/10 · 6 March 2019]

Skin is a breathtaking short revenge thriller which has a lot to say.The climax is so haunting and intense.This is the perfect way to show how racism feels like.A must watch

Can't rate this...

[msbryna · 27 February 2019]

This film is such a contradiction! On paper a perfect family....a hands-on, caring father, a loving mother to her son and her husband, a smart, good-looking kid who adores his family BUT.....OMG.... This is the epitome of a true horror story and it's happening too often! I hated this movie because of what it represented but give it accolades because it was so well done. Likability a 1 rating...exceptionalism a 10 rating.

Awesome film

[wandeepop · 6/10 · 27 December 2018]

A group of talented actors in this film. Looking forward to the next film/project.

Fantastic Film

[daniel-361-630297 · 10/10 · 4 March 2019]

When I finished Skin I could not help remembering a phrase by Mario Puzo at the end of The Last Don that says: "Oh, what a wicked world it is that drives a man to sin." And Guy Nattiv achieve with this work is to show us the cruelty of the world through the eyes of a child, a child who is loved by his parents and who has the appreciation of his neighbors and despite all this love he has living in the more brutal violence, learning from the example, absorbing the lessons that it would be better to avoid because the consequences can be harsh. Nattiv gets a stark story that shows that a nonsense act can lead to merciless punishment. Brilliant as a film, painful as a reflection of a world that is leading many to sin.

Good plot but was the very end necessary?

[mmaaddllyy · 6/10 · 10 June 2020]

As a viewer, we cannot not be confused from seeing parents behaving lovingly with their child but cruelty with a complete black stranger, who casually interacted with their child. This is great characterisation.

The price paid for this outrageous behaviour was very unexpected. I wish this new skin identity had been explored more instead of cutting it short with the child.

Stereotypical, immature ending.

[riefenstein001 · 2/10 · 16 January 2020]

Strong storytelling until just before the end, wich is deeply disapointing. Hate does create hate. Artists should work on answers and solutions, not supporting stereotypical phrases such as "an eye for an eye". Is this supposed to be the message? No higher equilibrium, no forgiveness, no way for the characters to understand their wrong behavior, instead - killing. Yes I understand the purpose of a plot, but If portraying killing is the same language for artists in the 21st century as it is in a so called civilized society, it is very sad. Very immature and violent ending. Sorry, I cannot understand nor support this films high appraisal.

Horrifyingly Clever

[trollerbrendan · 10/10 · 18 February 2019]

Very thought provoking, and a huge moment that made everybody in the audience shriek with horror. Go see it!

What's the point?

[evanbates90 · 2/10 · 12 February 2019]

This is the kind of movie we precisely do not need as a human race.

Best Live Action Short Film i've Seen Till Date

[Marwan-Bob · 9/10 · 21 February 2019]

I Don't Know About all Ya But i Freaking' Loved it. Not Only Deserves the Oscar Nomination ....it Deserve to Win

Great Film!

[mddixon-18810 · 10/10 · 5 January 2019]

Must see short Film! Proud to support these actors.

A stunning short film!

[nasiandrea79 · 10/10 · 14 November 2019]

SKIN is a powerful and original story, told through the eyes of two children which shows what can happen when anger, hate and ignorance combine. This is not a movie with a happy ending or a movie that provides a solution to the racial discrimination problems. It shows what is not the solution to the problems and that everything that is occurring is like a vicious circle.

Sometimes the Academy pick the right film

[Sonofamoviegeek · 9/10 · 6 March 2019]

In Skin, Gai Nattiv continues his tradition he began with his short "Strangers" of writing and making films where the weak turn the tables on the vile bully. Too often in reality the mouthy bully wins. Life mirrors the WWE all too often. We need fantasy where poor shmucks who want to go about our business in peace are hassled by these vermin. We need therapeutic stories like Skin so we can get through the day.

Some reviewers seem to actually feel a twinge of sympathy for the father who, with his moron buddies, stomp a shopper who is buying a toy for his own son. There are two acts of justice that will bring joy to the viewer. The first is how the friends of the assaulted man retaliate. That leads to the final act of justice that the way the father has raised his son leads to his own doom. I loved the ending. While I wouldn't laugh, I don't weep for a racist gun lover receiving Biblical justice this way.

Pretty Lame, Unoriginal, And Not At All Poignant Attempt At Shock Cinema

[Brakathor · 3/10 · 22 February 2020]

A film like this can basically be taken either one of two ways, as either poignant, or as farcical. This film definitely leans towards the latter, and ultimately for a film like this, one which relies on one single plot twist based around the raw emotions elicited by unrepentant hate-filled racism, the fact that the entire premise comes across as farcical, largely because of how forced it is, is definitely a bad thing. Honestly, the film and film premise are both so one-dimensional, that you're not even critiquing a film, but you're critiquing an idea more than anything, an extremely sophomoric one.

First of all, tattooing a man completely black from head to toe in one sitting of just a few hours... Is that even possible? Furthermore, cuts from head to toe, in a massive amount of pain and/or a massive amount of drugs to subdue the pain... Would he even be able to walk, led alone live? You might as well put a bomb in his hands, watch it explode in his face, have it turn him completely black, and call it a Warner Bros. cartoon, because that's how stupid the concept feels once you really break it down.

"What if you had a skinhead, right... but then... he ended up having completely black skin.... for some reason... WHOOOOOAAA! THE IRONY!" It's something some dumb teenager would think of as groundbreaking, but it's kind of already been done to death. There's a 1971 film called "Albino," based on a fiction novel about a racist black man who happened to be an albino, and was leading a group in Africa who went around killing white people. Obviously this attempts to invoke the same type of irony, and even in a film that's 40 years old, the premise felt stale to me, watching it. Worse still, the premise is ALWAYS forced. In "Albino," the very idea of having a persecuted class of person like an albino in Africa in a position of leader, makes no sense.

In Skin, let's take a moment to really break down the catalyst for our little token plot twist here. Guy accuses black guy of harassing his kid. He calls the black guy a n*gger, and black guy starts mouthing off. White guy and his friends beats up black guy. Black guy's friends find out "Oh no, our friend was beaten up." ... "He didn't just beat me up, he... called... me... a n*igger... and poured bleach on me." ... "Oh my GOD! Well that's it, we have to abduct him and paint him black. It's the ONLY possible solution!"

Nature versus Nuture

[info-78184 · 9/10 · 3 August 2020]

This is a thought-provoking film. It is dark, and tough to watch at times. The ending was definitely unexpected. This film shows the power of parents' influence on children.

Pretty bad, the epitome of uncreative race bait in films these days

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 17 March 2019]

"Skin" is a 21-minute American live action short film from 2018 made by Guy Nattiv and Sharon Maymon. This one won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film one month ago and I think it was a bad decision. In my opinion, this is worse than all other four nominees, but I am not surprised the liberal Academy went for it as it is the only really political movie from the bunch if we ignore the same-sex reference in another. But now let me tell you why I think this was weak. First of all, the poster is misleading really. The Black kid plays almost no role in this movie at all, while the White (I am allowed to capitalize right?) kid plays a major role. He is the one whose looking and smiling at a toy started everything. He is the one that ends everything eventually when the credits roll in around the 20-minute mark. But it is not only a film about race, it is also about gun control and now it makes even more sense this won an Oscar. You will see how guns are used here on several occasions and I won't go much into detail about that. The only thing I liked about that aspect is how we have a boy holding up a snake and he is told to put it down while being instructed afterward to take a rifle in his hands as if that was something less dangerous. Well, I do not necessarily agree with the idea, but that was somewhat creative at least. There is more talk about snakes later on and which ones are more poisonous, the brighter or darker ones and that already felt a bit clumsy honestly the way they were trying to get race relations in there. Still I think, the first half of the film, maybe even the first 13 minutes or so were decent and I may have given them a higher rating thanks to the convincing portrayal by Jonathan Tucker, also by far the biggest name in the cast here. Basically until he gets dragged into that car and this could have been a surprisingly thriller moment had id not been indirectly spoilered here on imdb. But with the big plot twist in the second half, the film really hits rock-bottom. The idea of tattooing his skin all over so that he looks like a Black man was generally a really challenging approach and making the main character just seem as unlikable as it gets before that won't cut the cake, especially as indirectly the actions of the Black folks are depicted and described as accurate revenge. But it is the exact opposite in my opinion. This is a film that will not help in remving boundaries between races, but create more obstacles and I even have a feeling there people as dumb and simple out there that they may take this approach and idea of making racists or just Whites go through that hell again because they think they deserve to or just want the kick. At least not everybody has a professional tattoo artist education.

A few more words on the ending. The boy shoots and kills his father eventually mistaking him for an intruder. Does color matter in this context? Perhaps. He sure did not recognize him, but no matter which approach you give it it is once again showing a white man/kid shooting a helpless Black man without much substance to it than just hate. Funnily enough, the boy smiled early on at the Black man with the toy, so his perception changed completely because of these Black folks kidnapping his father and he may just develop into the same kind of racist that his dad was after shooting one of his own which he doesn't know at that point. I am almostg tempted to call this a dangerous movie. It is not creative, artistic or sobering. Just shocking for the sake of it and the final shot is the best example. I only give it a somewhat solid rating and won't declare it as a total failure because like I said the first half was okay overall. Also there is no elaboration what happened during the no less than 10 days he was there, how they gave him food, something to drink to deal with the pain. Or helped him get to the toiled. Also as someone who just got a new tattoo this year, let me tell you it won't take 10 days to make a skin 100% tattooed, so maybe speaking to actual experts on the matter would have helped. There doesn't need to be attention to detail when it is just all supposed to be Black. But attention to detail then again is not the film's greatest strength either. My recommendation here is to skip the watch. The Academy got it right in not going for the even worse and more misleading frontrunner "Black Sheep" in the Documentary Short category, but by giving the win to Skin (again, unsurprisingly), they clearly made the wrong decision. A bit unsurprisingly actually because I think all 4 other nominees got more awards recognition beforehand, but yeah politics won here, not artistic talent unfortunately. Watch something else instead.

Damn

[flwerpwered · 9/10 · 9 March 2019]

Watched once but don't think I could watch again. Just sitting here stunned like what the hell?

A powerful short film which takes you on an emotional rollercoaster

[mathieu-ajan · 10/10 · 12 March 2019]

I haven't watched a short film which has taken me on such an emotional journey in a long time, until Skin. A very dark story beautifully executed, this film sheds a light on some important issues which are prevalent today with powerful performances from a really great cast. This film is a must watch and i can't wait to see more work from the director.

very impressive and original story

[og-ankf · 10/10 · 19 March 2019]

This is a very impressive and original story, telling a humanity lesson through the eyes of two children. It impresses with its beautiful and incisive direction, editing and acting.

Racism is SELF hate

[LoverOfFilmsAndMusic · 10/10 · 11 July 2019]

It's crazy how real this is. People of color, were killed for whistling. In this day and age, we've witness police killing us due to reading a book, carrying an instrument, walking with hoodies on, selling cigarettes, just by being outside, walking across a lawn, being in our own neighborhoods, and this movie shows how NOT being racist xan STILL get you hurt. That supermarket scene broke my heart. It's bad enough police are killing us, our own people, and strangers too. I have to admit, one needs to be careful what they teach their own children because it could get you killed.

Issue too big for a short

[therake-159-973814 · 5/10 · 31 July 2019]

As a Caucasian American, I have only ever experienced racism against myself, for things I had no control over, perhaps what people did who looked like me a hundred years ago, I'm not sure. A price to pay for being in the majority class I guess (in this country). To an extent I feel this film somehow fuels that hatred towards those who apparently share my skin tone. I always look forward, not behind. Things I have control over. That said, I felt the film a bit too short to deal with the "ghosts" of the antagonists motivations; Perhaps that's in the feature version, much like American History X. Nice tension, great performances and direction.