Written and Directed by Jennifer Reeder
Starring Kate Arrington, Marika Engelhardt and Tim Hopper
Running Time: 1 hour and 51 minutes 

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport

“I shoulda been a manicurist, they hold hands for a living.” 

Knives and Skin is a sleek neo-noir film that takes a stab at playing homage to the eighties teen thriller drama genre flicks but ultimately gets lost along the way.  

Jennifer Reeder’s feature debut tells the story of a missing high-schooler, Carolyn Harper. After Carolyn vanishes from her small suburban town, the tight-knit community partakes in her search. The film focuses on the affects the disappearance has on her classmates, the town’s residents and Carolyn’s single mother. While the suburbanites subject themselves to making missing person flyers and putting ads on milk cartons, the audience has been clued in right from the first frame as to Carolyn’s whereabouts. After a “date” with the high school football captain goes tragically wrong, the story spirals.

To put it simply, this film did not work for me. I found the storytelling to meander and the approach to be somewhat inconsistent. Despite the stylish neon-bathed lighting, reminiscent of a Nicolas Winding Refn film (think Neon Demon or Drive) or the likes of other nostalgic tributes such as Stranger Things, this film seemed to get lost in itself. It reminded me of a teen that went too heavy with the eyeliner, foundation and glitter make-up in order to cover up blemishes that, unfortunately are far too noticeable. As for the acting, I question the intention. The approach seemed to be in the vein of Twin Peaks but often played off as a mere copycat rather than a well-executed rendition. 

Many of the characters are portrayed as over the top and, at times, even peculiar. There is a scene in which a mime shows up. Normally, I would welcome oddities such as this with open arms but here it seemed nothing more than a gimmick or a terribly played shtick. Despite the characters trying extremely hard, they were not really people that I wanted to know or, for that matter, have an interest to remember. None of them are exceptionally good people nor does the story spend enough time with anyone in particular to give you a reason to care about them. There is a mother that is making flyers for the missing girl simply because she felt the ones that Carolyn’s mom made were hideous and needed some bedazzle… literally. 

Overall, the cast does a great job with what was given to them. After reading an interview conducted by the Boston Globe with director Jennifer Reeder, I believe her intention was to comment on the #MeToo movement, in particular the cultural pressures bestowed on women. Unfortunately, the script did not translate this way for me. Which brings me to the filmmaking itself. The overall approach and techniques that are executed by Reeder are quite impressive, as I imagine the budget was minimal and she seemed to do a lot with very little. The composition, set design, overall look and feel of this picture are great. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the costumes - all of which are superbly done. As a filmmaker that also works with minimal finances, I am always impressed when a movie manages to have nifty threads. Seriously, I might NEED a majorette jacket and a homemade Joan of Arc tee (note to self: buy letters, make a shirt that says MOVIES). All of these positives about the craft of the film made me wonder what Jennifer could do with a script that maybe she was not so connected to, as she definitely has an eye for movie making. 

Despite some missteps, this film is still an accomplishment. In her Boston Globe interview Reeder told, Isaac Feldbeg, “I came to the house of filmmaking by kicking in the basement door. I was not invited up the front steps. But it doesn’t matter how you get into the house. Just get in, and stay there. Coming in through the basement can be exhausting but, once you’re there, they can’t get rid of you.”

Reeder is someone that I will keep an eye on and I definitely have an interest in exploring some of her previous work, even if it is made in a basement. 

See Knives and Skin in theaters and available on demand December 6, 2019