“This is a fictional story inspired by true events,” the screen warns before Skincare begins. This kind of playful disclaimer is common now — The Great claims to be an “occasionally true” story, and Baby Reindeer states it’s a true story where “only the facts have been changed.” (Despite this, it faced some legal issues).
People have always been fascinated by true stories, especially in horror, from The Conjuring, which was based on real events, to The Blair Witch Project, which revolutionized marketing by claiming to be found footage. Films often take creative liberties to improve the story’s flow and clarity.
These aren’t documentaries, so they don’t include interviews for context. Learning about the real events after watching the movie can be enriching, but it isn’t necessary. Sadly, Skincare is so rigid in its adaptation that it’s almost impossible to follow unless you’re already familiar with the true crime story behind it.
What is ‘Skincare’ About?
Skincare starts with a flashforward, showing a woman named Hope Goldman (Elizabeth Banks) fixing her makeup. Her mascara is smudged, and we hear police sirens, suggesting she’s been through a lot. Despite the chaos, she focuses on looking perfect.
We then flashback to two weeks earlier in 2013 Los Angeles, where Hope is a well-known Hollywood esthetician launching her skincare line. She’s getting her makeup done for a segment on a popular daytime show about her new products. Although things seem to be going well, we know this won’t last, given the glimpse of her current situation.
Things quickly spiral out of control. It begins when Hope notices a new neon sign across the street and meets its owner, Angel (Luis Gerardo Méndez), a rival esthetician.
They immediately clash, and things get worse when Hope’s email is hacked and sends an inappropriate message to her clients. This makes her a pariah, leading her clients to switch to Angel and the news program to feature him instead.
The stakes rise as Hope faces public humiliation and physical threats. She becomes obsessed with proving Angel is behind her problems, involving her friend Jordan (Lewis Pullman) and mechanic Armen (Erik Palladino) to take him down by any means necessary.
‘Skincare’s Characters Range from Nonsensical to Nonexistent
The main issue with Skincare is its lack of interesting or consistent characters. We are told Hope is a survivor who invested everything into her business, but we don’t get much background on her struggles or sacrifices. The script shows her facing challenges like paying rent, but it’s done in a bland, unremarkable way, making it hard to feel any real tension.
The script can’t decide if Hope is a manipulative “girlboss” or a helpless damsel in distress, switching between these extremes randomly. A confusing scene involves a sleazy newscaster, Brett (Nathan Fillion), trying to bribe Hope for sex to keep her segment on the air. This scene is gross and predictable.
Hope records the conversation, which could be a clever twist, but she claims it was an accident and deletes the audio. This makes no sense given the character’s context. The film tries to show Hope as fake and superficial, bribing people with her products, but it fails to define her character.
Hope feels unreal because she lacks depth and consistency. This is a major issue since the film is filtered through her perspective. It hints that Hope might be unreliable or involved in certain events but doesn’t make it clear enough to be effective.
The rest of the cast fares poorly as well. Pullman does his best but his character’s motives are unclear. The script explains basic plot points, like Hope’s rent issue, but skips over more complex reveals.
The twist involving Jordan is predictable and doesn’t make sense. Angel, despite being central to the story, has little screen time. Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as Marie is underused in a stereotypical role that’s disappointing.
‘Skincare’ Doesn’t Know What It Wants to Be
Skincare can’t decide if it’s an edgy crime thriller or a dark comedy, ending up as a puzzling mix of both. Nearly every man Hope meets makes advances on her, and the film features various forms of sexual harassment, from explicit messages to a scene where someone tries to fulfill a disturbing fantasy.
Sexism and harassment are real issues, and many police officers don’t take these threats seriously. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t address these topics meaningfully, making it seem like Hope is overreacting. These issues feel like cheap shocks rather than serious concerns.
The script is a mess, starting off mediocre and getting worse over time, with performances that are just okay. The film’s strongest element is its score, which adds some style and mood, even if it’s unclear what that mood is. The cinematography has a few impressive shots, but overall, it’s nothing special.
Skincare is about an industry that uses illusions to make you look better. Perhaps it’s fitting that nothing about the film feels real — not in a “stranger-than-fiction” way but in a “none of these characters seem real” way.
The characters are both flat and erratic, and the plot is both cliché and confusing. It’s best to skip this one for your skin and sanity.
