Wow, the director of this gruesome film was a co-author of the comedy musical “8 Femmes” and collaborated in the typical arthouse drama “Sous Le Sable” (which I apparently did not review). As a next project she apparently wanted something less light. “Dans Ma Peau” (international title “In My Skin”) definately is! The good-looking Esther (De Van herself!) has an accident during a party. The accident completely tears the skin of her leg apart, but she only notices this much later. Apparently by the fact that her leg does not hurt like it is supposed to (or perhaps the pain is suppressed) Esther becomes delusionary and fascinated by her own body. Her normal life is alternated with scenes of self-mutilation which are pretty explicit. Esther seems to be loosing it more and more and then the film just stops. “Dans Ma Peau” has a strange atmosphere. It does not always come accross very dark, but there are is a scene in the corridor of a hotel with a rumbling soundtrack and the scenes in which Esther starts to eat herself are not for the faint of stomach. Many of the mutilation scenes look more dramatic or dream/nightmare-like as if Esther is not herself. In any case, there is nothing to the story that you do not know now (but the box or the IMdB information give it away too), but just so you are warned about the explicit nature of the film. Is “Dans Ma Peau” is good film? Personally I am no fond of these explicit scenes. The film is a darkish psychological film, which is already more in my line of interest. There are some nice experimentations with split screens and strange colours and camera work, so it leans a bit to both sides. Weighing this I come to a:
Marina de Van again made a dark and mysterious psychological thriller/drama, but this time not so bloody as “Dans Ma Peau”. We follow Jeanne who does not remember anything from before she was eight years old and decides to write an autobiography. Obviously digging in her past is not good for Jeanne’s psychological stability. Not only the past, but also the presents starts to change and a very weird and nicely dark drama unfolds in which characters change and stories become blurred. “Don’t Look Back” also has the beautiful Monica Bellucci on the role which adds to the pleasure of watching this film. A very nice, alienating drama.