Satirical thrillers are not something you see every day. It takes a lot to make two genres harmonize with each other. So when you see that, it is quite beautiful to watch. Although they never go beyond the usual, Skin care is an example of a film that manages to do both, even if the execution is never spectacular. The film takes you on a fun little journey that leads to an obvious, but still entertaining, ending.
Skin care is a film that delights in showing the ugly side of the beauty world. The characters are vain and strange, the scenarios are a little over the top and you get the feeling that anything can happen. What ultimately happens is worth a smile, even if it doesn’t turn out quite as crazy and wacky as it otherwise could have been.
Hope Goldman (Elizabeth Banks) is an esthetician who wants to take her career to the next level by launching her own skincare line. Her glory days may be over, but this move will take her to the top. One day, a rival esthetician in Angel Vergara (Luis Gerardo Mendez) opens a new boutique offering the same services right across the street from hers. This upsets her both personally and professionally, as she believes someone is trying to sabotage her.
In a desperate attempt to save her business as well as her personal reputation and business, she teams up with her friend, life coach Jordan (Lewis Pullman) to find out. Who is destroying her life? Why are they doing it? And what will she do when she finds out? While the results aren’t particularly surprising, they’re fun to watch.
Elizabeth Banks is very good here and has a lot of fun with the character. The same goes for Lewis Pullman, although his character is less pleasant to be around. Banks is the highlight, as Pullman comes in and out of the narrative a little. She manages to immerse herself in the comedy of it all while being a more than captivating protagonist of the thriller. Besides Luis Gerardo Méndez, who is good, there are supporting actors like Ella Balinska, Nathan Fillion, Wendie Malick, Eric Palladino, MJ Rodriguezand more.
Co-writer/director Austin Peters doesn’t have much style, but he recognizes that he has a strong central performance from Banks. The script, which Peters wrote with Sam Freilich And Deering-Regan makes some slightly satirical remarks, while his direction mostly just moves the plot forward. Skin care It’s not that flashy, but Banks and, to a lesser extent, Pullman pull it off.
Skin care doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but it works far more often than it doesn’t. Watching Banks break free from the shackles is definitely a treat, while the rules of the genre are well adhered to. As long as you don’t have unrealistic expectations of what this is, you’ll have a good time. A few laughs, a few thrills, and you’re out the door. There’s nothing wrong with that!
RESULT: ★★★
