Mysterious Skin

wow! this movie was surprising. I had been putting this off for a while now but honestly should have watched earlier. I really appreciate how raw and genuine this movie felt. it didn’t dramatize things in a way that made it feel like something it’s not, instead showing everything in a real and honest way. this movie felt hard to watch at times but honestly it kept everything real which was a bonus to the movie.  what stood out to me most in this movie was how it handled the whole plot of the movie. this movie shows a real problem that exists and does not try to soften it or make it easier to those watching. as a result, it makes you sit there and acknowledge it in a way, which made it 100x more impactful. The movie didnt feel like it did it for the reactions but actually felt like it was trying to bring awareness to something serious.  another thing that stood out to me was how the story is told between to characters and how you see them age throughout the movie. the character dynamic just between Neil and Brian was outstanding. seeing both of them dealing with shared trauma in their own different ways made the movie feel deep and more layered which was nice to have. their different approaches to the trauma, one avoiding it completely while the other is trying to piece things together kept the movie engaging the whole time.  Joseph Gordon-levitt played a PHENOMENAL role in this movie oh my gosh. the way he played the role was so real, genuine, and uncomfortable in a way that fit this movie perfectly. nothing felt over the top, everything was great.  I rarely ever get this feeling after watching a movie but something about this movie was so impactful that I know I’ll be thinking about it for a while.  this movie is so so so well made and I really wish I had watched it earlier. this is an outstanding film.