Under the Skin (2013)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2013
	Director: Jonathan Glazer
	Actors: Scarlett Johansson (The Man who wasn't there, Iron Man 2), Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay
	Country: USA, GB, CH
	Genre: Horror, Thriller
	Conditions of visioning: 10.07.2014, Theatre du Passage, NIFFF14
Synopsis: An attractive woman (Johansson) is driving across Scotland in a van, seducing single men into her den.
Review:  One should not read anything at all about this movie before watching it because some keywords in many summaries (alien, vampire) could prevent you from making your own opinion about Under the Skin. But one description that fits well and can help you decide whether to watch the movie or not is that it is a 'visual trip', warning you that it is going to be slow, very slow. Indeed not much happens, and it seems a it too easy to show the main character driving around, and every 10 minutes she picks up a guy, and each time we see a little bit more of what ha[ens of him. This will occupy you for the first hour. The rest of the movie is different but also intriguing if not really surprising. The common point to the whole movie is the quite stylised filmmaking, espcially in the main character's den. It is visually interesting and the sparse music helps this feeling. Some shots in the second half of the movie are also very well constructed. Scarlett Johansson is very natural in her acting and dressing, not really put to her advantage (see picture below), especially when we see her totally naked several times. This must have been for her a choice of getting a bit away from the Hollywod Blockuster machine (The Avengers and co.). In a few words: it looks good, but this simple story is told very slowly.
Rating: 6 /10