There’s a long history of Hollywood pointing the camera back at itself—films like Sunset Boulevard and Under the Silver Lake expose the alienating machinery that churns out fame, unrealistic beauty standards, and other potentially hazardous byproducts in the cultural capital of the United States. Skincare, the first fiction feature from music video director Austin Peters, builds on that tradition. It follows one aesthetician’s descent into paranoia after a business competitor moves in across the street from her glamorous Los Angeles office.
A Riveting Performance Amidst Paranoia
The script, co-written by Peters, Sam Freilich, and Deering Regan, may lack bite and balance, but Elizabeth Banks gives a riveting lead performance. She is supported strongly by Top Gun: Maverick’s Lewis Pullman. Banks’ knack for the heightened and outrageous finds her grounded as Hope Goldman, a longtime facialist-to-the-stars on the brink of her big break.
The Descent of Hope Goldman
Banks stays relatively grounded as Hope Goldberg, a self-made woman who believes charisma—and free samples from her upcoming product line—can get her anywhere. But with rent due and a stalker threatening her sanity, our poreless princess starts to go off the rails. Luckily, Banks is as adept at playing charming as she is at being unhinged.
Bolstering her potent performance is a supporting cast led by Pullman. Here, the Top Gun class of 2022’s lovable nerd plays Jordan, a smarmy “life coach” with a penchant for well-to-do older women. Among other awful men in Hope’s orbit are Brett (Nathan Fillion), a philandering talk-show host; Armen (Erik Palladino), her overprotective mechanic; and Angel (Luis Gerardo Méndez).
A Plot That Struggles with Tone
Skincare‘s packaging is really good, but its plot lacks mastery over tone. It vacillates between humor, thrills, and pitch-black cynicism, failing to land firmly anywhere. While Peters’ direction is confident, his story never fully commits to its genres. A promising menacing tale veers into screwball territory without clear footing.
The film proposes grounds for criticism and self-awareness about show business and the beauty industry but doesn’t fully deliver on these fronts. For instance, despite severe actions by Hope’s stalker—such as inviting random men to assault her at work—their gravity is underplayed.
Visual Brilliance But Lackluster Substance
Drawing from his experience directing for Orville Peck and Haim, Peters delivers an effortlessly stylish film that revels in Hope’s work with menacing beauty shots. The soundtrack, featuring artists like Katy Perry and Peck, adds to its cool factor but contrasts sharply with character nefariousness.
The Final Verdict
Banks has a knack for the heightened and the outrageous: She rose to prominence in films by Kevin Smith, Judd Apatow, and David Wain; donned the flamboyant hairpieces of The Hunger Games’ Effie Trinket; and segued into directing with a Pitch Perfect sequel. In ‘Skincare’, Elizabeth Banks gives a riveting lead performance.
Ultimately Skincare underwhelms in terms of tone and plot but remains slick for its runtime. Elizabeth Banks’ performance shines through amidst cinematic chaos, making it an entertaining watch if not miraculous.
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