SKIN
US, 2019, 110 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Bell, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga, Danielle Macdonald, Mary Stuart Masterson, Russell Posner.
Directed by Guy Nattiv.
This is a film about races in the United States. It is a tough film to watch.
It is also based on a true story, the central character, a young man who is imbued with racist attitudes and violence, adopted into a family who belong to a white supremacist group. The settings are in the American midwest, Ohio, Indiana and down to Tennessee.
The director is originally from Israel and became interested in this story through the influence of his American wife, the producer of this film. He went to New Mexico to interview the man and his wife who were living in witness protection.
20 years ago Jamie Bell was Billy Elliot and made a great impression on moviegoers. Since then he has had quite a significant career and a variety of roles. Here, he plays Babs, covered in tattoos, including his face, all having a symbolic racist significance. He goes along to rallies led by his adoptive father, a grim performance from Bill Camp, supported by his adoptive mother, Vera Farmiga, both caring and sinister. And there are a whole lot of other young men along for the protest, along for the bashings, the film opening with one of these rallies on a bridge in Columbus Ohio.
Of course, the title, Skin, refers to racial differences but also keeps reminding us of the skinhead, which Babs is, as well as his skin covered in tattoos.
By chance, a mother and her two daughters are hired to sing at the rally, and get some boos and insults for their efforts. For some reason, Babs defends them, even physically. And, talking with Julie, the mother, they promise to keep in contact. Julia is played by Australian actress Danielle Macdonald.
There is also a black leader of an organisation against racism, a man whose purpose it is to contact individual racists, discuss with them, try to open their eyes, change them, convert them. At his office, there is a wall full of photos of men who have turned.
Which means and that the drama of this film is focused on Babs and the different struggles he has. There is his love for Julie and her family, his moving out of his own family and living with her. There is the approach from his father and mother, pressurising him to return to the group. And there is the man working hard to try to turn him.
Skin offers an opportunity to look at images of white supremacist demonstrations and race riots, often seen in clips on television news, but here part of a narrative which draws the audience in. The film also offers an opportunity for audiences to assess their stances, any innate prejudices they may have, the challenge to understand those who are particularly vocal and violent.
Not easy watching but seriously worthwhile and challenging.
1. A message film? Race relationships in the United States? Hate? The world?
2. The midwest settings, Ohio, Indiana, to Tennessee? Cities, riots, communities in the woods, the burning of the mosque, police precincts, the unity Association offices, homes, hotels, the hospital and surgery for relieving the tatters? The musical score?
3. The immersion of the audience immediately, the demonstration in Columbus, Ohio, the chanting, the bridge, the races, the African Americans looking on, involvement? The spitting, the bashing, the young man, the chase, bashing him? Audience response?
4. The title, the emphasis on skin, head shaved, skins symbol, race, colour, taxes and their meanings, the extent of the tattoos?
5. Babs, his age, adopted, his name, his relationship with his adopted parents, their leading the group, is willing participation? The father and his political ambitions, speeches? The mother, in the background, yet dominant, her mother? Julie coming the group and the singing, Babs defending them, the contact, his invitation for her to contact him? Babs and his dog, the little girl patting it? His arrest, the police interrogation, is confronted of attitudes, naked, provocative?
6. The far right, ideology, allegedly tolerant but saying any immigrants should not be in America? In practice, their lifestyle, licentious, violent? The recruiting, the young boy who is hungry? The themes of Vikings, prayers to Odin, the codes embodied in the tent to use? The invoking of the Nordic Powers?
7. Julie, with the children, the dog, Babs and his defence, the phone calls, the beginnings of love? The threats, hostilities, ups and downs and the relationship, and then his leaving the community, the wedding ceremony, Julie pregnant, relationship with the girls, the dog was part of the household? The parents and the group visiting, the threats to the girls? The mother and the threats? They’re taking Babs back home?
8. The building of the mosque, the survivors, the challenge to Babs, his previous confrontation with the gang member about the dogs and the fighting? The man getting revenge, the gun, Babs to find him, and and his shooting him? Badly wounded, going to hospital, his father and the Lauren of the pressure, the threats, the mother calling Julie? Her visit?
9. Babs, the experience of the boss, letting the men live, insights? His going to see Daryl, the discussions about changing? Daryl and his association, the wall with the photos of the men turning on the dates? The rendezvous with the hotel?
10. The pool, the daughter with attaches, Babs thinking that she was the tractor? Julie’s reaction, ousting him?
11. Double, the interrogations, his hit history, the war, the photos, the explanations, supporting Babs?
12. The scenes of the removal of attaches, recurring throughout the film, the 600+ days in the surgery?
13. The impact of the film, its message?
