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Under the Skin
2014 108 min United Kingdom, United States of America, Switzerland R 16+
★6.1
Thriller, Science Fiction, Drama
🎭 Based on
«Under the Skin»
byMichel Faber
Trailers
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Teaser
Teaser
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Description
A seductive stranger prowls the streets of Glasgow in search of prey: unsuspecting men who fall under her spell.
Budget:
$13.3M
Worldwide:
$7.23M
Awards
European Film Awards 2014
— Best Original Score
European Film Awards 2014
— Jury Prize – Best Composer
Venice Film Festival 2013
— Golden Lion
BAFTA 2015
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 2015
— Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film
Key opinion
Under the Skin is a polarizing, atmospheric work of arthouse science fiction that eschews traditional narrative in favor of a sensory, dream-like experience. While its stunning visuals, hypnotic score, and bold direction are widely acknowledged, the film's minimal dialogue and meditative pacing leave many viewers feeling alienated or unsatisfied.
| Score | The film features a haunting, atmospheric score that effectively reinforces the movie's cold and surreal mood. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography masterfully utilizes bleak Scottish landscapes and documentary-style filming to create a sense of profound detachment and alien realism. | |
| Acting | Scarlett Johansson delivers a compelling, nuanced performance that effectively captures the transformation of an emotionless predator into a figure experiencing human sympathy. | |
| Direction | Jonathan Glazer’s directorial approach creates a unique, highly stylized visual language that draws strong parallels to the works of Kubrick and Lynch. | |
| Pacing | The film’s extremely slow, meditative tempo acts as a barrier for many, satisfying those who enjoy immersive, experimental cinema while frustrating those who seek traditional plot development. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay’s extreme ambiguity and lack of traditional exposition are viewed by some as profound, artistic restraint and by others as an empty, frustrating narrative. |