'‘Skincare’ Review: Elizabeth Banks Shines in a Surface-Level True Crime Drama”
Director Austin Peters’ “Skincare” presents a fictionalized version of a high-profile scandal involving a celebrity aesthetician accused of hiring a hitman to eliminate her competition. Despite its salacious real-life inspiration, the film fails to delve deeply into the scandal’s darker aspects, offering instead a shallow examination of female rivalry and paranoia.
The film opens with a close-up of Hope Goldman (Elizabeth Banks), a successful aesthetician whose life begins to unravel when a rival, Angel (Luis Gerardo Méndez), moves in nearby. Her well-ordered world—complete with a burgeoning skincare line and a thriving business—is threatened as sabotage and harassment escalate. Banks delivers a strong performance, capturing Hope’s descent into desperation with skill. However, the film’s narrative fails to match her depth, sticking to familiar tropes without exploring the full potential of its real-life inspiration.
Peters and co-writers Sam Freilich and Deering Regan create an atmospheric mood piece with a slick aesthetic, but the story lacks the intensity and originality that could have elevated it. The film’s attempts to critique the beauty industry’s superficiality are overshadowed by its formulaic plot and missed opportunities for deeper character exploration.
The supporting cast, including Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez and Lewis Pullman, contribute well to the film’s dynamics, though their characters are often underdeveloped. The plot’s reveal of the antagonist is handled clumsily, diminishing the potential for a dramatic climax.
“Skincare” succeeds in presenting a stylish, if surface-level, drama that highlights the glamour and deception of the beauty world. Still, it ultimately fails to provide a compelling exploration of its themes, leaving viewers with a film that doesn’t quite capture the intrigue of its real-life counterpart.