Skin (2009)
83%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill, and Alice Krige do wonderful work in Skin, delivering performances whose strength is underlined by the incredible real-life events upon which the movie is based
Skin tells the true story of Sandra Laing, a woman who was forced to choose a color line during apartheid in South Africa. While some critics found the film to be unremarkable or lacking in impact, others praised the performances and the power of the story. Personally, I found the film to be a bit like a Sunday afternoon TV movie of the week, but with some impressive acting. It’s definitely worth a watch if you’re interested in learning more about this important period in history. Plus, who doesn’t love a good family drama about race and identity?
Production Company(ies)
Talking Heads Arnold Stiefel Company,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-14
Year of Release
2009
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:Canada
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Feb 1, 2011
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill, Alice Krige, Tony Kgoroge, Ella Ramangwane, Faniswa Yisa, directed by Anthony Fabian, written by Helen Crawley, Jessie Keyt, Helena Kriel, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Candice Frederick, Giles Hardie, David Stratton, Wesley Morris, Andrea Gronvall, Tom Long, Kate Rodger, Kelly Jane Torrance, S Jhoanna Robledo, produced by Anthony Fabian, Genevieve Hofmeyr, Margaret Matheson, PG-13, apartheid, South Africa, racism, identity, family drama, true story, Sandra Laing, Abraham Laing, Sannie Laing, Petrus Zwane, Nora Molefe, Dolby Digital
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Sam Neill – Abraham Laing
Alice Krige – Sannie Laing
Tony Kgoroge – Petrus Zwane
Ella Ramangwane – Young Sandra
Faniswa Yisa – Nora Molefe
Director(s)
Anthony Fabian
Writer(s)
Helen Crawley, Jessie Keyt, Helena Kriel
Producer(s)
Anthony Fabian, Genevieve Hofmeyr, Margaret Matheson
Film Festivals
Berlin, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (63) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (54) | Rotten (9)
Sophie Okonedo beautifully portrays Laing as a confused and scared young woman who’s forced to choose a color line, but not without her share of heartache and pain.
September 12, 2017 | Rating: A
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
While it’s important we never forget the horrendous evils of humanities past, Skin is sadly one social studies class too many.
August 8, 2010 | Rating: 2.5/5
Giles Hardie
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Performances are impeccable, and location shooting in South Africa adds to the power of an impressive true story.
July 21, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Laing’s life, despite its inherent melodrama, does not automatically lend itself to the screen. And without the aid of a smart script or a prevailing sense of delicacy, a movie about her or apartheid risks being a blunt instrument.
January 14, 2010 | Rating: 1.5/4
Wesley Morris
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Provocative.
December 15, 2009
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Potent, still relevant and inspiring while maddening, Skin shows some of our best and much of our worst.
December 11, 2009 | Rating: B
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
For a story steeped in such personal and cultural drama, the telling of it was strangely the opposite, keeping the audience at a distance and robbing the story, one really worth telling, of impact.
September 12, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/5
Kate Rodger
Newshub (NZ)
There’s something of a happy ending to this tortuous tale, but it’s not completely satisfying.
December 1, 2018 | Rating: 2/4
Kelly Jane Torrance
Washington Times
Intense family drama about race, identity during apartheid.
February 17, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
S. Jhoanna Robledo
Common Sense Media
The most remarkable elements of the true story of Sandra Laing survive intact, despite a rather unremarkable bigscreen retelling of her life.
August 9, 2010
Simon Foster
sbs.com.au
Something akin to a Sunday afternoon TV movie of the week.
August 4, 2010 | Rating: 2/5
Andreas Heinemann
Flicks.co.nz
The storytelling maybe undistinguished but the performances power it.
July 22, 2010
Julie Rigg
MovieTime, ABC Radio National…
Plot
In 1950s South Africa, Sandra Laing struggles to be accepted by her own family and society due to her light skin color, which is different from her parents’ and identifies her as black during the height of apartheid.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Sophie Okonedo’s performance as Sandra Laing is “beautifully portrayed” according to one critic.
Anthony-Fabian.jpg
