Many people couldn't respond to the lack of easy answers in this movie, but I think one of the reasons why they did not provide any easy answers for this movie is simply because there really isn't any easy answers for these acts. In fact, I think if the makers tried to force down a message or a motive (like what the director of Monster did), it'll just be another gore flick with nothing to look out for.
For me, the most disturbing aspect of In My Skin, is the fact that it did not disturb me at all. The extremely gory scenes were presented in such a normal way, that after awhile I got used to seeing them, accepting them as commonplace and that scares me. I was surprised at the way self-mutilation was presented in this movie. I went in expecting it to show it as ugly and awful, but the scariest thing is, towards the end of the movie, the violence towards herself becomes so beautiful.
I find it intriguing that Esther's self-mutilation and auto-cannibalism does not stem from self-loathing or hatred of her own body. In fact, it definitely seems to me that she is more fascinated and in love with her body thus provoking her to get into this stuff.
SPOILERS
Her fascination with mutilation did not come from the fact that she fell and got the ugly wound on her leg, it came only after she had it bandaged, and it started to itch and ooze pus and split open. In the first self-mutilation scene, it feels almost as if she becomes intrigued by her wound pushing her to start exploring what is beneath her skin. The effect came across to me as being not unlike a boy in puberty who first discovers the many wonders of his little Johnny and explores it in all the most pleasurable ways possible.
In fact, the progression of this fascination seems almost metaphoric to the masturbating boy, although I hesitate to bring in terms like 'metaphors' and 'allegories', because they sound so intellectual. The shame she felt at what she had done causing her to crash her car and make up an elaborate excuse of her injuries to her boyfriend, it seems, is alike to the boy who discovers carnal pleasures and later regrets at his 'sinful' indulgence. It often brings into mind the notion of those who indulge in hedonism and later after thinking back on what they had done, feels the pang of guilt from societal rules. On its own, these acts are neither harmful nor destructive to anybody (save for the person who does these acts onto himself, but then again if this person does not feel pain as being painful, how can it qualify as 'hurt'?), and it is only because it is viewed as abnormal and perverse, that they feel guilty.
Throughout these acts of self-mutilation and auto-cannibalism, it struck me that the way she sucked at her own blood and nibbled at her skin; and the way she caressed the large piece of skin she had carved out from herself, seem to me as if she was making love to herself. Locking herself up in a hotel room and taking pictures of her mutilated self seems more like an act of masturbation to the extent of narcissistic abandon than something downright repulsive. The pleasure on her face as she moved her carved-out skin around her face even made me start to eye my own skin funny.
But perhaps the reason why this act is seen upon as perverse smells more of societal concerns. The behavior of Esther, first and foremost, is an anti-social behavior. She derives pleasure entirely from her self, to the extent of shutting out everybody in her life (she is deaf to her boyfriend's worries, and in the most telling scene, she picks at her hand with her knife under the table as her friends eat), and probably the need for wholeness in the society frowns upon acts like these that asserts independence and individualism. Perhaps that is why after so many years of people doing it, masturbation is still taboo in discussions, stirring up the alarm bells that society has injected into our blood through the many generations.
END OF SPOILERS
But look what you can into this film, well after all it's a French film, and if it isn't experimental, pushing-edge and thought-provoking, it isn't French enough right? Despite being completely devoid of any emotional content, it does have some questions about our basis of humanity and our needs, it only depends on how much you want to look. And if you look enough, you'd probably uncover many 'metaphors' and 'symbolism' that your brain so craves to provide intellectual masturbation. I heard one American critic saying, 'whatever symbolism or underlying message this film attempts to offer, it is ultimately weighed down by its revolting imagery'. Revolting or beautiful, perhaps depends on which point of view you are coming from and what baggage you bring to the film, but ignoring the entire basis of the film is plain stupid.
For me, well I didn't love this movie as much as I sound I do here, but it is a nice food movie with a positive tone about a girl who learns how to love herself through eating herself, regardless of how weird it sounds.
So go see this movie before it ends, it doesn't matter if you have an iron stomach or not, what matters more is that at best, it gives enough to masturbate our egos by feeding ourselves intellectual thoughts (something I'm certain that many very intellectual critics didn't get); at worst it is a heck lot entertaining to see someone eating herself, and your food options will be broadened.
For me, the most disturbing aspect of In My Skin, is the fact that it did not disturb me at all. The extremely gory scenes were presented in such a normal way, that after awhile I got used to seeing them, accepting them as commonplace and that scares me. I was surprised at the way self-mutilation was presented in this movie. I went in expecting it to show it as ugly and awful, but the scariest thing is, towards the end of the movie, the violence towards herself becomes so beautiful.
I find it intriguing that Esther's self-mutilation and auto-cannibalism does not stem from self-loathing or hatred of her own body. In fact, it definitely seems to me that she is more fascinated and in love with her body thus provoking her to get into this stuff.
SPOILERS
Her fascination with mutilation did not come from the fact that she fell and got the ugly wound on her leg, it came only after she had it bandaged, and it started to itch and ooze pus and split open. In the first self-mutilation scene, it feels almost as if she becomes intrigued by her wound pushing her to start exploring what is beneath her skin. The effect came across to me as being not unlike a boy in puberty who first discovers the many wonders of his little Johnny and explores it in all the most pleasurable ways possible.
In fact, the progression of this fascination seems almost metaphoric to the masturbating boy, although I hesitate to bring in terms like 'metaphors' and 'allegories', because they sound so intellectual. The shame she felt at what she had done causing her to crash her car and make up an elaborate excuse of her injuries to her boyfriend, it seems, is alike to the boy who discovers carnal pleasures and later regrets at his 'sinful' indulgence. It often brings into mind the notion of those who indulge in hedonism and later after thinking back on what they had done, feels the pang of guilt from societal rules. On its own, these acts are neither harmful nor destructive to anybody (save for the person who does these acts onto himself, but then again if this person does not feel pain as being painful, how can it qualify as 'hurt'?), and it is only because it is viewed as abnormal and perverse, that they feel guilty.
Throughout these acts of self-mutilation and auto-cannibalism, it struck me that the way she sucked at her own blood and nibbled at her skin; and the way she caressed the large piece of skin she had carved out from herself, seem to me as if she was making love to herself. Locking herself up in a hotel room and taking pictures of her mutilated self seems more like an act of masturbation to the extent of narcissistic abandon than something downright repulsive. The pleasure on her face as she moved her carved-out skin around her face even made me start to eye my own skin funny.
But perhaps the reason why this act is seen upon as perverse smells more of societal concerns. The behavior of Esther, first and foremost, is an anti-social behavior. She derives pleasure entirely from her self, to the extent of shutting out everybody in her life (she is deaf to her boyfriend's worries, and in the most telling scene, she picks at her hand with her knife under the table as her friends eat), and probably the need for wholeness in the society frowns upon acts like these that asserts independence and individualism. Perhaps that is why after so many years of people doing it, masturbation is still taboo in discussions, stirring up the alarm bells that society has injected into our blood through the many generations.
END OF SPOILERS
But look what you can into this film, well after all it's a French film, and if it isn't experimental, pushing-edge and thought-provoking, it isn't French enough right? Despite being completely devoid of any emotional content, it does have some questions about our basis of humanity and our needs, it only depends on how much you want to look. And if you look enough, you'd probably uncover many 'metaphors' and 'symbolism' that your brain so craves to provide intellectual masturbation. I heard one American critic saying, 'whatever symbolism or underlying message this film attempts to offer, it is ultimately weighed down by its revolting imagery'. Revolting or beautiful, perhaps depends on which point of view you are coming from and what baggage you bring to the film, but ignoring the entire basis of the film is plain stupid.
For me, well I didn't love this movie as much as I sound I do here, but it is a nice food movie with a positive tone about a girl who learns how to love herself through eating herself, regardless of how weird it sounds.
So go see this movie before it ends, it doesn't matter if you have an iron stomach or not, what matters more is that at best, it gives enough to masturbate our egos by feeding ourselves intellectual thoughts (something I'm certain that many very intellectual critics didn't get); at worst it is a heck lot entertaining to see someone eating herself, and your food options will be broadened.