Provided by Sydney Film Festival
In 2018, Jamie Bell took on two films, the first shot in the first quarter of the year – this one, Skin – playing a far-right extremist in middle America, and the second just a few months later as British lyricist Bernie Taupin in the glorious Elton John biopic Rocketman. The two roles are poles apart and demonstrate the phenomenal range of this still relatively young actor who has come a hell of a long way since his Nineties breakout, Billy Elliott.
Skin originally premiered to audiences at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, and nearly nine months later is still playing the circuit, landing at its latest stop down under at Sydney, from where we pick it up.
Bell is Bryon Widner, member of a skinhead gang, born into hate as a second generation neo-Nazi. He’s part of the Vinlanders Social Club, a gang of fascists led by his father, Fred ‘Hammer’ Krager (a superb Bill Camp), and mother Shareen (Vera Farmiga). His body and notably his face are covered in tattoos, every one of them a symbol, his appearance both intimidating and monstrous. At a rally, he meets single mother of three Julie (Danielle Macdonald), who focusses his attention away from his family and the vicious gang. Widner, known as Babs to his peers, is caught at a crossroads, and following a vicious attack during a run-in with anti-fascist protestors, is arrested and offered a deal to escape ‘the life’ and his ‘family,’ by offering information for those higher up the food chain – something Widner replies to by flashing a solitary message on his inner thighs – the familiar etching ‘snitches get stitches’.
As he falls deeper in love with Julie, someone who doesn’t want to associate in any with fascism, he starts to question the people he surrounds himself with and the morals he holds close. The rest of the film charts his journey – all of it based on a harrowing, totally engulfing true story.
Israeli writer-director Guy Nattiv‘s film, naturally, is a very difficult watch in places and is often harrowing. The subject matter is handled well, though, the story utterly absorbing. At 110 minutes, it’s certainly not the longest of watches, but at times, particularly during the first half, it often feels sluggish, despite the fact that I was consistently spellbound by Bell’s stunning portrayal, and Macdonald’s wonderful support – an amazing follow-up to her breakout in Patti Cake$ a couple of years back.
The film chooses to flash forward to see Widner undergoing painful tattoo removal – a device used to structure the movie – chin, knuckles and various other body parts titled on the screen at various points to show that this wasn’t an easy, painless or quick process. While cleverly and stylishly executed, if you didn’t know the outcome of Widner’s story, doesn’t this reveal that at least in appearance, he does make it through?
Of course, this is a movie about the battle inside the mind as well as a physical one, and also about the overall arching journey Widner goes through – perhaps not the outcome and, as I stated before, it is largely handled well. There is a lot going on which, when thrown into an intense melting pot with the documentary filmmaking style, the handheld cameras, and the muted tones are often dizzying, but give a raw, naturalistic style which marries well with the narrative.
Skin won’t be for everyone. It is brutal and doesn’t shy away from anything, but the two central performances alone, and the solid support from Camp and Farmiga warrant the admission price alone. Timely, unflinching and anger-inducing, but utterly compelling.
Skin was reviewed at the Sydney Film Festival 2019.
