The Skin I Live In

After going through the motions with a couple of features that failed to match the sharp wit of his best work, Pedro Almodóvar's The Skin I Live In is an exhilarating return to form. Ignorance is bliss when faced with a narrative as shocking and twist-laden as this, and all you really need to know is that Antonio Banderas (giving his best performance in years) is a respected but haunted plastic surgeon who is holding a mysterious young woman (Elena Anaya) captive in his hi-tech home. Toying with audience expectations, Almodóvar juggles the chronology of his narrative and stacks up surprising revelations with dizzying speed. He is constantly testing the limits of plausibility – looked at objectively, the plot appears absurd – but his meticulous craftsmanship and confident storytelling ensures it remains riveting. Just try to guess the nature of the twist at the heart of the drama – I guarantee the truth is more outrageous and disturbing than you could have imagined. [Philip Concannon]