La Piel que Habito/The Skin I Live In

Movie Name: La Piel que Habito

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Pedro Almodovar

Stars: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, Robert Alamo, Eduard Fernandez, Jose Luis Gomez, Blanca Suarez, Agustin Almodovar, Isabel Blanco

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Pedro Almodovar is back, after the great "Los Abrazos Rotos". "La Piel que Habito" is an adaptation of the Thierry Jonquet's book "Tarantula/Migalle" and follows the story of a brilliant surgeon named Robert Ledgard. Robert's life is touched by tragedy, since his wife committed suicide, following a horrible accident, something that ends up touching the life of his daughter, Norma, who eventually comits suicide as well (following a rape attempt). Robert's grief makes him devise a plan to get back at the person who attacked his daughter.
Almodovar is a director who has is own universe. That universe keeps his stories intersecting throughout his directorial career. "La Piel que Habito" has elements from "Matador" and "Law of Desire" and even "Kika", but weaves a story that is simultaneously familiar and unique. Robert's thirst for revenge leads him down the path of recreating someone he lost, to make someone else adapt to another skin. These are themes that Almodovar touches throughout his career, and though "La Piel que Habito" may seem like a vengeance story, in the end, it's more a story about our true identities, what truly defines us. The film is fantastically well directed as usual and features very good performances from Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya and Marisa Paredes. A great film worth watching!