While most films out there these days prostrate themselves before the altar of entertainment, there are still a few that dare to set different goals. "Under the Skin," the debut feature by U.K. director Carine Adler, is one such work, a cathartic rhapsody of sex and grief that is based in messy reality, and demands reflection on the part of the viewer.
"Under the Skin," which follows a young girl's descent into a world of desperate one-night-stands, was an out-of-the-blue success, taking an award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh Film Festival (beating out "The Full Monty" and "Nil by Mouth") and playing well internationally. Much of this is due to the smoldering central performance given by (then) 19-year-old Samantha Morton (soon to be seen in Woody Allen's "Celebrity"). Morton tackles the role of Iris, a feisty waif-turned-nymphomaniac, with the kind of volatile energy that's undeniable.
After the sudden death of her mother (Rita Tushingham), Iris begins to lose control. She has bitter jealous spats with her older sister Rose (Claire Rushbrook), quits her McJob, dumps her complacent boyfriend and starts to act on sudden sexual impulses, picking up some dodgy guys in theaters, clubs and even on the street. Like most encounters of this nature, the film veers between giddy, sexy highs and dark day-after lows.