Under the Skin is Unlike Anything You Will Ever See; A Modern Masterpiece in Every Way

It’s been 10 years since Jonathan Glazer’s last film, “Birth” starring Nicole Kidman, opened to maddeningly polarized reviews. “Under the Skin”, his third feature, marks his return to the film world. Glazer had planned to direct the film after the release of his debut feature, “Sexy Beast” back in 2000, and originally co-wrote the film to star Brad Pitt as one of two aliens disguised as farmers. However, he ended up choosing to instead tell the story from an alien’s perspective of society, and decided to make that alien a female, scrapping the Brad Pitt character. 

Scarlett Johansson, dressed in a shaggy yet short, brunette wig complete with a fur coat, skinny jeans and cute heels, portrays the mysterious female alien (her name is never given). She drives around various towns and areas in Scotland in her white van, stopping every so often to talk to lonely men walking the streets. Her story for stopping is different with every man she stops for. Sometimes she tells them she’s running an errand, sometimes she’s lost, but no matter what she tells them she’s doing, her intent is to get them into her van, and home with her. Though it’s never explicitly stated, reading between the lines will tell you that there is a promise of sex, which excites her potential suitors. Once their inside, however, it’s clear that sex is not what’s going on. 

Scarlett Johansson Makes Men Disappear in Under the Skin

Johansson follows up Don Jon and Her with a completely different performance as a man-eating alien. 

Scarlett Johansson is having something of a career renaissance lately, and I couldn't be happier about it. After a "better than advertised" performance in Joss Whedon's "The Avengers" in 2012, Johansson followed up with back to back great turns in Joe Levitt's "Don Jon" and Spike Jonze's "Her'. In both films, Johansson acted with ferocious energy that hasn't been seen since before her career slump, post- Lost in Translation Oscar buzz (remember when she won a BAFTA for Leading Actress that year?).

Fact of the matter is, after uninspired choices like "The Nanny Diaries" or "The Island", Johansson is back to making very inspired and brave acting choices, and overall seems very excited about the performances she's giving (unlike sleepwalking through roles like "The Black Dahlia" or "The Other Boelyn Girl").

She was (unfairly) overlooked for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar (an award she should have won) this year for her voice-work (yes, she's that good as just a voice) in Her, but that doesn't seem to be stopping her from choosing tricky roles and delivering energetic performances.

So that's why I (and others) are thoroughly excited about her next film; Johansson will appear as the lead in Jonathan Glazer's "Under the Skin", distributed by A24 (the same company who distributed Spring Breakers and The Bling Ring). In the film, Johansson plays a beautiful alien searching for men, or rather their flesh.