Skincare (2024) | Film Review

Whether it be Hollywood itself or a film such as Skincare which revolves around it, there is only one thing in this world that is more important than beauty and fame as a celebrity, because this one tangible element can make or break the way the world sees you: your reputation.

Elizabeth Banks embarks on her newest journey in Skincare, portraying a (mostly) fictional aesthetician, Hope Goldman, who is on the verge of launching her new skincare line when an emerging rival, Angel (Luis Gerardo Méndez), opens a store directly across the street. When almost immediately afterwards, strange incidents begin occurring that could tarnish her reputation and business, Hope throws on her Veronica Mars hat and begins investigating who could be behind it. More importantly, why do they seem so intent on destroying Hope Goldman?

Director Austin Peters takes a thriller approach to this story, where we follow the rabbit hole of a “whodunnit” mystery intertwined with the unraveling of Hope’s sanity, a move which noticeably amps the anxiety throughout. Peters and his co-writers, Sam Freilich and Deering Regan, are very intentional in establishing Hope’s reliability as our narrator, which is actually a relief so we’re not in the perplexed confusion of what is real vs. what is imagination. Instead of worrying about what the reality is (since we know for certain someone is maliciously targeting Goldman), we as an audience turn our focus towards identifying who the culprit is behind these spiteful escapades, a well-applauded direction.

Hope leans on two people within her support system, her coworker Marine (Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez) and her friend Jordan (Lewis Pullman). Hope is desperate to get answers and see justice served for the damage done to her, and her friends seem to be along for the ride. Pullman gives us a compassionate, sweet, and helpful character in Jordan, who is often supporting and defending Ms. Goldman for the icon she is. Unfortunately, despite an entertaining performance by Michaela Jaé, Marine is underwhelmingly written, serving as more of a supporting crutch than a supporting character. Nathan Fillion also pops in to play against type for what amounts to a glorified cameo as an opportunistic talk show host, adding a little spice to the proceedings.

The film as a whole, squarely rests on the shoulders of its star. Elizabeth Banks delivers one of her most impactful performances to date, demonstrating the grueling impact that social media and targeting can have on one’s life and mental capacity. Banks is a talented creative force known for her comedic talents, and this role allows her to dabble in those comedy roots while simultaneously showcasing a woman driven to the brink of psychosis and despair, surrounded by emptiness. In one particular scene where Hope is calling for help and her emotions are at a 12/10, Elizabeth’s intensity delivers as horrifying desperation. If anything should come out of Skincare, it’s a deeper appreciation for Elizabeth Banks.

Beyond a fantastic performance and despite some predictability, Skincare is fueled by tension and unease. The comedic elements interjected as character traits helps keep the film fresh while maintaining the suspense. The film also has two facets to it. Yes, the glamor of the mystery is of course most attractive on the surface, but more intimately, Skincare is about what line is worth crossing if it means success; what are YOU willing to do to get what you want?

Listen to our full podcast review of Skincare on this episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast: