Clapperboard with gold star, 'MOVIE TREASURES'

Mysterious Skin

Content Warnings

Overall Severity: 🔴 85/100
Total warning time: 10m 15s
Sex/Nudity: 🔴 90/100 (3m 5s)
  • 🔴 100/100 [00:15:30 - 00:16:45] Explicit sexual content involving minors
  • 🔴 95/100 [00:45:20 - 00:47:10] Graphic nudity and sexual situations
Drug Use: 🔴 70/100 (3m 30s)
  • 🔴 80/100 [00:30:15 - 00:32:00] Characters using drugs in a party scene
  • 🔴 75/100 [01:10:45 - 01:12:30] Depiction of drug abuse and its consequences
Violence: 🟡 65/100 (3m)
  • 🔴 70/100 [00:20:10 - 00:21:30] Violent altercation between characters
  • 🔴 75/100 [01:05:20 - 01:07:00] Disturbing scenes of emotional and psychological violence
Strong Language: 🟡 60/100 (40s)
  • 🟡 65/100 [00:10:05 - 00:10:10] Use of strong profanity
  • 🔴 70/100 [00:55:40 - 00:56:15] Frequent use of offensive language
Mysterious Skin

Details for Mysterious Skin (2004)

Year: 2004
Certificate: R
Mysterious Skin Runtime: 105 min
Genre: Drama
IMDB: 7.6
Meta Score: 73
Votes: 65939
Gross: 697,181
Director: Gregg Araki
Cast Stars: Brady Corbet, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elisabeth Shue, Chase Ellison

Overview of Mysterious Skin:

A teenage hustler and a young man obsessed with alien abductions cross paths, together discovering a horrible, liberating truth.

What is the plot of Mysterious Skin (2004)?

Mysterious Skin follows the lives of two young men, Neil McCormick (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Brian Lackey (Brady Corbet), who were both affected by childhood sexual abuse. Neil becomes a teenage hustler, while Brian believes he was abducted by aliens. Their stories eventually converge as they confront their traumatic pasts.

Who directed Mysterious Skin (2004)?

Mysterious Skin was directed by Gregg Araki, based on the novel of the same name by Scott Heim.

What themes are explored in Mysterious Skin (2004)?

The film explores themes of trauma, sexual abuse, memory, and the long-term psychological effects of childhood experiences. It also delves into alienation, identity, and the ways people cope with unresolved pain.

How was the performance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Mysterious Skin (2004)?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Neil McCormick, a troubled teenager who turns to sex work. His performance was praised for its raw intensity and emotional depth.

Is Mysterious Skin (2004) based on a book?

Yes, Mysterious Skin is based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Scott Heim. The film adaptation stays largely faithful to the book's dark and poignant narrative.