Review: La piel que habito (3.8/5*)

Pedro Almodovar is known for his uses of various genres within a single film. His latest film La piel que habito (The Skin I Live In) is no different, if not slightly less effective than his previous works.

In this case, Almodovar is up to the same old tricks but in less familiar territory - horror. It is horror without the gore and violence, but still quite disturbing. The film begins in the year 2012 in Toledo, a quiet town outside of Madrid. In a country house, Vera (Elena Anaya) is secretly held captive and watched over by the dutiful housemaid Marilia (Marisa Paredes) while surgeon Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) continues to conduct years-long research and procedures on Vera, in hopes of reconstructing a "perfect" human skin graft. Unusual though the set up may already be, things take a turn for the worst once Marilia receives an unexpected visit from her son Zeca who discovers Vera.

After the fiasco that ensues, the film goes into a flashback (Almodovar has a tendency to play with time and having the past creep up and linger on his characters) as Vera's true identity (kind of) is revealed as well as the dark origins of Ledgard's obsessions.

Almodovar may have stretched himself too thin in this film, still attempting to sway in tone between serious, comedic, sterile, empathetic, and then horrific. But the various tones seem to distract rather than complement what should be the underlying drive of the film - revenge. And of course this is a revenge/horror film but Almodovar style, that is to say that it is melodramatic. This is where he is at his best. No other writer/director can write such an unseemly plot and direct convincing actors so skillfully that the results are tear-jerking and even gut-wrenching. The stories of each of the main characters are no less effective and touching.

Thematically, I feel that Almodovar is back on course as the film complicates issues of identity, gender, passion, desire, morality - typical mainstays of his work that have been slightly curbed in his last few films. I can't honestly say who exactly Vera is or if Ledgard is entirely evil and unsympathetic, and I like that. That being said, La piel que habito is solid showcase of Almodovar's honed skills and his desire to still try new things.