Rating: B+
Hate groups can make for some difficult to watch movies, however, it is always nice when those stories turn into tales of redemption for those involved. The latest film to take on this task is the new movie SKIN starring Jamie Bell, Danielle MacDonald, Mike Colter, and Vera Farmiga. This tells the story of Bryon (Bell) a young man who is deep into the neo-Nazi lifestyle sporting the shaved head, combat boots, and numerous face tattoos that broadcast to the world exactly how he feels about race. He is a bad guy who has done a lot of bad things, however, the older he gets he begins to question more and more of his lifestyle choices and his need to be apart of this group starts to waiver. He is pushed further to the brink when he meets a young woman named Julie (MacDonald) who is getting out of the hateful lifestyle she has grown up around to give her daughters a better life. With the help of activist Daryle Jenkins (Colter) Bryon takes his shot at a better life away from the hate he has grown up in, however, his old life isn't quite ready to let him go.
This film is based on a true story of Bryon Widner who at one time was on the FBI watch list as one of their most sought after white supremacists. You can check out his dramatic transformation from neo-Nazi thug covered all over his head and face with tattoos to just a regular guy in the 2011 documentary Erasing Hate. This film has Jamie Bell taking on the lead role and I have to say, the guy kills it. He is incredibly intense to watch on screen. It is that intensity that keeps you with him every step of the way. He shows that he is at his core trying to do the right things after so many years of doing the wrong things. He just needed a support system to help push him in the right direction. This may be one of my favorite roles I have seen Bell take on. He really steps up to the lead role in this film with ease.
Another stand out performance needs to go to Vera Farmiga who plays Ma, the wife of the leader of the White Supremacist group Bryon is apart of. Watching her on-screen is like watching someone stuck in a room with a hungry lion. Sure, they may look nice, but you know at any moment they could rip you apart. That is her character to a T. She is one of the main things that pull these young guys into this lifestyle and tries to fill the role for them of their families that let them down, but cross her and you will quickly regret it.
The acting is no question on point, but I do have to stay that the only place that the film really slips up is in its timing. There are plenty of spots where this movie just drags and it is not to the fault of the cast. Coming in around 2 hours long, the movie could have honestly been edited down to probably a solid hour and a half and been much more successful. While I understand the need for backstory and explaining things, there are just times and scenes that are completely unnecessary to progressing the storyline. Sadly these are the moments that take you out of this film. If the flow worked better this would have been an A+ film for me. The story is engaging and interesting to watch and as I have said, the acting is great, it is just the pacing of the film that is flawed. Not a complete dealbreaker, but just kind of annoying.
Overall, I had to score this movie with a B+. It is worth checking out. If this type of tale interests you then SKIN may be just the film you are looking for. This is a good tale showing that people are truly capable of change, but only if they really want to.
SKIN hits the AMC Studio 30 on July 26th.