It’s not easy to put this film neatly into a box; it’s a dark comedy, a mystery, a thriller, and a set of shopworn pokes at the shallowness of Hollywood. Fortunately, the great Elizabeth Banks is a constant and a grounding presence, even as she transitions back and forth between ambitious entrepreneur and vengeful lady not to mess with.
Banks plays famed aesthetician (only in Hollywood can you be a famed aesthetician) Hope Goldman. Although her past due rent is a running gag, she’s actually about to launch her own skincare cosmetic line, the products are made in Italy, which is apparently a big deal.
But just when things are about to pop for her, a potential rival Angel Vergara (Luis Gerardo Méndez) moves in just across the way, stealing clients and being prissy about the parking spot assignments almost immediately.
If you thought competing facial boutiques couldn’t get into a nasty battle, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Soon, a racy, explicit email blasts out from Holly’s account to virtually all of her clients. It’s bad. Really bad, and the consequences are almost immediate.
There are several males in her life: from the TV host who interviews her, to the garage owner who gives her free tires, to the boyfriend of her previously faithful client. All of these males want to get into her pants, and she outsmarts them at every turn, which is cathartic for the viewers. Of all the crap that happens to her, she is never fully a victim, because she is as ruthless and sharp as anyone who crosses her.
So far, so good- but the film finishes in a not totally satisfying way, mainly because the “mystery” part of the story doesn’t have an impactful reveal. It feels like some cuts were made to give Skincare its tight 90ish minute run time.
But if you’re of the belief that it’s about the journey, not the final destination, then you can’t do much better than a game Elizabeth Banks and a solid supporting cast. A deep bench of character actors who support the central character with panache.
Skincare | Rated R | In Theaters Friday August 16th
