Skin Deep, 2022.
Directed by Alex Schaad.
Starring Mala Emde, Jonas Dassler, Dimitrij Schaad, Maryam Zaree, Edgar Selge, and Thomas Wodianka.
SYNOPSIS:
A young couple travel to a remote mysterious island where they hope to rebuild their struggling relationship. It soon becomes apparent that the island offers more than just a tranquil holiday, as it is a place where visitors can swap bodies and literally see the world through another’s eyes.
Age-old philosophical questions of the relationship between mind and body are considered in this compelling and compassionate feature from siblings Alex and Dimitrijj Schaad. The winner of the Queer Lion at the Venice Film Festival, the movie takes on issues of personal identity and gender in a world where nothing is constant. How much of us is made up of our bodies or minds? And is it possible to find a better fit if there is an imbalance? These ruminations are brought to the fore early on in this tale.
On the invitation of her childhood friend Stella, Leyla (Mala Emde) and partner Tristan (Jonas Dassler) journey to a remote island. Once there, the pair learn more about the experimental work of Stella’s now-passed father. They agree to join another couple, Mo (Dimitrijj Schaad) and Fabienne (Maryam Zaree) in a ritual to exchange bodies for a time.
The dinner party meeting of the couples is a surreally humorous delight. It perfectly highlights the different characters of the four, with Mo coming across as a boorish type full of braggadocio. Fabienne is professionally confident and gives the impression that she is in full control of her partner’s excesses. The awkward ‘getting to know’ you drinks come across something like a swingers party. Except in this case, it’s not partners they are swapping, but bodies. Offering them a chance to escape and see the world in a completely new light, the experiment has markedly different results for each person.
The first swap changes Tristan and Mo around and Leyla with Fabienne. The experiment is met with great enthusiasm by Leyla, who has suffered from a long period of depression and feels lighter in Fabienne’s body. This brings up interesting questions of biochemical responses and how much does a body dictate how we feel or act. In Leyla’s case, the result is immediate, and Zaree (playing Leyla in Fabienne’s body – don’t worry it all makes sense!) portrays the change well; she goes for a long run and looks invigorated by the newfound strength at her disposal.
For Tristan, the change is not as happy. In a clever nod to possible complications, Mo jokily warns him of his high sex drive, and that Tristan might feel something of this. Mixing in with uncertainty about the swap, and worries about missing the physical side of his relationship with Leyla, a lakeside dip with Fabienne in the guise of Leyla brings amorous complications. There is also levity and some broad knockabout comedy. This is mostly provided by Mo in Tristan’s body, as laddish and loud as ever, but this time in ‘the Ferrari’ of Tristan’s younger and healthier body.
The high concept of the movie provides a great treat for viewers and sci-fi fans, but also for the actors themselves. A great showcase for their talents, all four revel in the chance to show how a character can be played through body language, tone, and composure. In the case of Mo played by screenwriter Dimitrij Schaad, it is great to see the character brought down several notches when ‘inhabited’ by the character of Tristan. There are also excellent performances from Dassler playing Mo, as well as from Emde going from the insecure and nerve-wracked Leyla to a more determined version of herself when inhabited by Fabienne.
Rather than being confusing, the movie’s story is so well told that it all holds together, and the audience feels invested in the project. Much like the characters themselves, we hope that the experiment will work out for them. An unexpected gem of a film covering a rich tapestry of intellectual and metaphysical quandaries, this ‘extreme couples therapy’ discourse is well worth consideration.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk
