The Skin I Live In
The Skin I Live In

The Skin I Live In

2011Movie120 minSpanish

A brilliant plastic surgeon creates a synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession.

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Insights

IMDb7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes82%
Metacritic70/100
Google Users82%
Director: Pedro AlmodóvarGenres: Drama, Thriller, Horror, Mystery

Plot Summary

A brilliant but disturbed plastic surgeon, Robert Ledgard, seeks revenge on the rapist who caused his daughter's disfigurement by holding him captive and experimenting on him. Ledgard has created an artificial skin that is impervious to harm, and he tests it on his unwilling subject. The narrative unfolds with shocking twists, revealing the complex and morally ambiguous relationships at play within his isolated mansion.

Critical Reception

The Skin I Live In was widely acclaimed by critics for its audacious storytelling, masterful direction, and compelling performances, particularly from Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya. While some found its themes disturbing, the film was lauded for its blend of genre elements and Almodóvar's signature style.

What Reviewers Say

  • A stylish and suspenseful thriller that pushes boundaries.
  • Antonio Banderas delivers a commanding performance in a dark, complex narrative.
  • Almodóvar expertly blends horror, drama, and even touches of dark comedy.

Google audience: Google users generally praised the film's originality, dark themes, and strong performances, though some found the subject matter unsettling.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and won numerous awards at the Goya Awards, including Best Film.

Fun Fact

The film is loosely based on the 2005 novel 'Tarantula' by Thierry Jonquet, but Almodóvar significantly altered the plot, particularly the gender of the central antagonist.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

After losing his wife in a fire, accomplished surgeon "Ledgard" (Antonio Banderas) has been working for many years on a type of skin that can resists burns! After about a dozen of them, he might be on the cusp of a breakthrough - but just h...
Filipe Manuel Neto

Filipe Manuel Ne...

**The film is good: it's tense, it's intense, it's shocking, it's dramatic, it's engaging... but it's also brutal and quite illogical if we think about the details.** As far as I remember, this was the first Pedro Almodóvar film I saw, a...