‘Skincare’ (2024) Movie Review - An Enjoyable Thriller

Luis Gerardo Méndez has such an interesting face. He can make you feel comfortable or hostile by just slightly altering his smile. As Angel Vergara, he exudes friendly feelings when Hope Goldman (Elizabeth Banks) first walks into his skincare store to welcome him. Everything looks normal and cozy, but then Angel tells Hope to not park her car in her usual spot, as it has now been reserved for his clients. These words are spoken with a smile, which no longer looks welcoming. Vergara subtly changes his expressions, and his lines send out "I am not here to make friends" vibes. The signals he gives seem antagonistic. No wonder Hope, after a while, starts suspecting him of sabotaging her image, her business, and her spotlight. Gerardo Méndez has a very convincing villain face. In a murder mystery, he will definitely be on the top of your suspect list. We feel protective towards Hope because Angel appears very unfriendly. Banks, on the other hand, become so fragile, so jittery that she elevates the discomforting mood and charges the movie with tension so extreme that while watching Skincare, you sometimes forget to breathe. Austin Peters is an expert at creating a tight, uneasy atmosphere. When you watch Skincare, you don't think about anything else. You are only concerned with the onscreen events - no other thought pops up in your head.

Peters makes Hope's paranoia so palpable that you sometimes freeze in your seat. In exchange for airing an interview, Hope is offered a blowjob deal. A stout middle-aged man walks into Hope's shop and demands sex like a drug addict. Another creepy man stalks Hope for some time, and someone creates a fake porny webpage with Hope's pictures on it. These incidents creep you out  - they have a shocking quality. We find it easy to participate in Hope's nightmare because it stems from a very familiar fear: Getting overshadowed by a competitor/Years of hard work going down the gutter/Getting stalked by creeps. Take your pick. Almost every man, except a gun shop owner, makes inappropriate advances towards Hope. A sexually explicit email only fuels their male hormones. Hope, though, gives them nothing more than free moisturizers. A life coach (Lewis Pullman), however, is rewarded with a kiss (he saves her from that man who comes to her salon for sex).

Skincare is loosely based on Dawn DaLuise's life. She was charged in a murder-for-hire plot against rival Gabriel Suarez. According to a CNN article, DaLuise liked the film but is disappointed that the filmmakers didn't request her consultation or invite her to a preview screening. From the article: "I feel like a mother figure wanting to shake my finger in (the writers') faces and say, 'You should have asked me for help, (the movie) would have been better than it is,' she added." DaLuise wanted Skincare to be faithful to the actual incident. Didn't she read the "This is a fictional story inspired by true events" disclaimer? Movies have no obligation to be faithful to the real events.

Every filmmaker should take creative liberties to tell their stories to the audience. Peters has made a taut thriller from DaLuise's case, bringing out the key emotions of terror, suspicion, and creepiness. You can understand what the fictional character goes through and what the real figure must have experienced. DaLuise has apparently talked with a top director about making a documentary of her life. I won't be surprised if it finds its way on Netflix. The only part of Skincare that didn't entirely work for me is the climax. It's clever in a way that leaves you impressed. The interview comes at just the right moment. But Hope's words and that smile on her face give rise to complicated notions regarding stardom and working in a cutthroat business. You are forced to see Hope with a complex lens, which is something the film doesn't earn due to its fairly simple style and substance. This is an enjoyable thriller, nothing else.

Final Score- [7/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times