Shadows on the Wall

Skincare

dir Austin Peters
prd Logan Lerman, Jonathan Schwartz
scr Sam Freilich, Deering Regan, Austin Peters
with Elizabeth Banks, Lewis Pullman, Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Luis Gerardo Mendez, Erik Palladino, Nathan Fillion, Wendie Malick, John Billingsley, Ella Balinska, Julie Chang, Medalion Rahimi, Jason Manuel Olazabal
release US 16.Aug.24,
UK 11.Nov.24
24/US 1h36

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Fictionalised from true events, this thriller strikes a camp, melodramatic tone as it takes a dive into the cutthroat beauty industry in Los Angeles. It's an uneven film, with very strong performances in a mystery that never builds up much steam. Director-cowriter Austin Peters infuses each scene with pitch-black comedy, so even if the plot isn't as surprising as it might be, it's darkly involving and entertainingly creepy.

In 2013 Los Angeles, aesthetician Hope has achieved the American dream, appearing on national television to promote her new line of products as Hollywood's skin-care queen alongside her assistant Marine (Rodriguez). Through a client (Malick), she mets life coach Jordan (Pullman) just as rival Angel (Mendez) opens just across the street. Then her email is hacked, leading to an aggressive online attack. Suddenly her starry life spirals out of control. While men she turns to for help hit on her, Jordan is quick to offer assistance. As is her tough-guy mechanic friend Armen (Palladino).

Taking the lurid visual style from Hope's fevered imagination, the film becomes progressively florid as she is convinced that Angel has orchestrated this campaign of misinformation in order to steal her television spots and her clients, and subvert her new line of beauty products just as it launches. As she tries to stop him, her behaviour becomes downright dangerous. Not all of the carnage that comes along is her fault, but most of it is. And as expected, she discovers that things are not what they seem to be.

Performances are only slightly heightened, adding some subtly unnerving intensity to the film's atmosphere. Banks dives into the role, maintaining our sympathy even though we can see that she's delusional about what's going on here. Pullman is superbly slippery as the relentlessly positive Jordan, who pumps himself up before pumping up his clients. He clearly has no ethical centre, so it's worrying to think about what he might do next.

This is one of those films about people who take action out of either greed or stupidity, causing unintended mayhem that has sometimes fatal repercussions. The film isn't quite madcap enough to entertain as a deranged comedy, but it is enjoyable as a bonkers true crime thriller. And there is some pointed subtext about building an empire on a house of cards, namely the industry of celebrity that supports rather too much of the economy but never really lasts.

themes, language, violence, sexuality 20.Oct.24

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