Mysterious Skin
Runtime
105 min
Original language
English
Country of origin
United States
Type
Movie
Quick reactionBe the first to react

Mysterious Skin (2005)

American Movie2005Rating 7.7
📌 Available on MUBI and Prime Video and Apple TV🛡️ Adults 18+
📖 Story

Years after a disturbing childhood in a small town, Neil and Brian grow up carrying the weight of an event neither fully understands in the same way. Mysterious Skin follows Neil as he moves through a reckless life shaped by unresolved trauma, while Brian retreats into a strange explanation for the gaps in his memory. The film approaches childhood trauma, denial, and the search for truth with a bleak and deeply emotional tone, using mystery not as a simple twist but as the shape of a wound that has never healed.

Related tags
Will this fit your taste?

Watchprint

Bleak trauma drama

84
Strong recommendation
EnergyQuiet and painful
ToneDark and sorrowful
ExperienceA heavy character drama about memory, denial, and the lasting impact of childhood trauma on two young men who process the past in very different ways.
Best suited forBest for viewers who appreciate serious psychological drama, difficult character studies, and films that approach trauma with emotional weight.
What to expect from this title?Expect a painful and emotionally demanding film driven by performance, fractured memory, and unresolved truth rather than simple suspense.
Dialogue drives the rhythmChemistry matters more than escalationEasy to settle into
🛡️ Age guidance & viewing advice
18+Adults
📌 BBFC 18 / Unrated US
Intended for adults only, due to highly sensitive themes involving childhood trauma, abuse, memory, risky behavior, and long-term psychological impact. It is not suitable for children, younger teens, or family viewing.
Runtime
105 min
Original language
English
Country of origin
United States
Type
Movie
★★★★★Watched Mysterious Skin? Rate it in a secondYour opinion helps other visitors decide 👌Add rating ←
🧭 Ratings Compass

How did major sources rate this title?

This compass summarizes available ratings for Mysterious Skin from IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and TMDB, including vote counts when available, so you can read both the score and its weight.

⭐ 78.2/100📊 4 sources🕒 2026-05-23
IMDb7.6/1084.3K votes76
Rotten Tomatoes86%86
Metacritic74/10074
TMDB7.7/101.3K votes77
📌 Ratings may change as sources update, and the signal does not replace your own viewing opinion.🕒 Last updated: 2026-05-23
Ask about this title
Smart assistant for Mysterious Skin
👥 Cast profile

Cast & Crew

Key creators and cast in a compact, organized view.
6 sections
DirectorGregg Araki
WritingScott HeimGregg Araki
CastJoseph Gordon-LevittBrady CorbetMichelle TrachtenbergJeffrey LiconMary Lynn Rajskub
ProductionMichael J. WernerGregg ArakiWouter BarendrechtJeffrey Kusama-Hinte
MusicHarold BuddRobin GuthrieTrip Brock
CinematographySteve GainerTodd BarronShereen Saleh

Where to watch Mysterious Skin

Current viewing options based on the best data we have.
Now available through 24 official offers on 3 platforms
Availability may vary by country and by subscription, buy, or rent option. If no verified direct link exists, the button will open provider search or the official provider page.
24 official offers🎬 3 platforms🌍 May vary by country

Where to Watch

24 platforms available · Prices may vary by country
Availability Snapshot24 offers

Mysterious Skin is currently listed across official watch options including MUBI, Prime Video and Apple TV.

Subscription access may be available through MUBI, depending on your country and plan. Rental starts from 1.79 USD on Prime Video. Purchase starts from 6.99 USD on Prime Video.

Use the offer cards below to compare providers, countries, rent, buy, and subscription options clearly.

Providers3Lowest rent1.79 USDLowest buy6.99 USD
Available
MUBI
3 offers  ·  in 3 countries
Available in
AE
AEGBCA
Options
SubscriptionHD
Price / note
Subscription
Audio: English
Subtitles: Multiple
Available
Prime Video
15 offers  ·  in 1 country
Available in
US
US
Options
RentBuyHDSD
Price / note
Rent from 1.79 USD
Audio: English
Subtitles: Multiple
Available
Apple TV
6 offers  ·  in 2 countries
Available in
US
USCA
Options
RentBuyHDSD
Price / note
Rent from 3.99 USD
Audio:
Subtitles: Multiple
Does your platform stream this title?
Reach thousands of daily viewers — list your platform for free
List your platform
🎬 Official videos magazine

Videos for Mysterious Skin

A compact viewing magazine that gathers the trailer, teasers, and official clips related to this title in one place.
🎞️ 2 videos
You may also like
Picks from the same genre and category
📊 Title-specific financial analysis

Commercial performance analysis

An editorial snapshot using the title’s recorded currency: budget, revenue, commercial gap, and return multiple without forcing USD conversion.

📉Box office loss0.72x
💱Analysis currency: USD
📉 Box office loss

Revenue did not cover the production cost

The box office run returned less than the reported budget, leaving a clear commercial shortfall.
Quick pulse
Clear loss
The release delivered $2.1M against a reported budget of $3M resulting in a clear commercial shortfall against its production cost.
💹 Return multiple: 0.72x📈 ROI: -28%🧾 Box office loss
💰Budget
$3M3 million USD
Reported production cost in USD.
🌍Worldwide revenue
$2.1M2.1 million USD
Total reported box office return in USD.
📉Commercial shortfall
-$851.5K-851.5 thousand USD
Gap between revenue and budget.
📉Return multiple
0.72x0.72x
How many times revenue covered the budget.
Financial map
Relative scale inside this section
Budget
$3M
Revenue
$2.1M
Shortfall
-$851.5K
Budget: $3M • Revenue: $2.1M • Commercial gap: -$851.5K ROI -28%
This commercial analysis compares the release budget, total revenue, commercial gap, and return multiple to explain the final box office position. — Returned less than its budget.
Financial data is based on available sources and may be updated when official or newer figures become available.

Cast & crew

Show the rest of the cast
Director: Gregg Araki

❓ FAQ

Short, focused questions that help you decide quickly without repeating details already shown above.
1What is Mysterious Skin about?
The film follows Neil and Brian, two young men shaped by the same childhood trauma in very different ways, as one moves through a reckless life and the other searches for an explanation for missing memories.
2Is Mysterious Skin suitable for family viewing?
No. The film is intended for adults only because of its highly sensitive themes involving childhood trauma, abuse, and psychological aftermath. It is not suitable for children or family viewing.
3Is Mysterious Skin based on a novel?
Yes. The film is adapted from Scott Heim’s novel Mysterious Skin and directed by Gregg Araki, with a focus on memory, trauma, and the search for truth.
4What genre is Mysterious Skin?
It is a heavy psychological drama with mystery elements, but not a conventional thriller; its force comes from character, fractured memory, and the long-term effects of trauma.
5Where can I watch Mysterious Skin?
According to CinemaHook’s current data, official viewing options may vary by country, platform, and licensing. Check the watch-options section on the page when available.
6Who stars in Mysterious Skin?
The film is written and directed by Gregg Araki and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brady Corbet, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Elisabeth Shue.

Ratings

TMDB is shown first here, and you can also add your own CinemaHook rating for this title 👌
Your review spaceAdd your rating for this titleYour rating helps visitors quickly — comments that include links are automatically rejected.
Ratings compass78.2/100
Choose your rating
Text only — any comment containing a link will be rejected.
We fight spam and reject links inside comments ✋
No user ratings yet… be the first 👑