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Lappicola’s drama thriller is probably one
of the more raw character studies I’ve seen in a while, mainly because
it manages to dive into so much complexities and depth in only
twenty-five minutes, and by the end I was exhausted. “Under My Skin” is
a truly entertaining and morbid short drama about a woman forced to
confront her own moral livelihood, as well as vent her frustration on
the world, when she’s put in a room with an actor she’s told she has to
deal with in order to gain a part. His role is to scare her, while hers
is to basically take it and toughen up. What begins as improv,
transforms into harassment, therapy, and a frightening realization on
our young actress that she may be in big trouble.
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Lappicola places these two
characters in utterly murky scenery and forces them to go at
each other’s throats, and it works with flying colors.
April Wade pulls in an excellent performance
as this young actress with an axe to grind, and just isn’t
prepared for this audition. Wade’s vulnerability is matched
by her purely skilled delivery of the wonderful dialogue
that brings her down to Earth as this tortured woman with
the weight of the world on her shoulders thanks to her
insecurities. |
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Wade is utterly sympathetic and works
very well against Erik Passoja who is utterly electric here. As this
actor who has to get under the skin Heather, he’s both frightening,
and rather unnerving. We’re never sure if he’s an actual actor or
someone else entirely, and Passoja is a ticking time bomb who
managed to make me feel uncomfortable while watching. Lappicola uses
the talents of his actors, and he never lets the tension boil down,
and that keeps “Under My Skin” a constantly uneasy short thriller.
Lappicola's short thriller is a great little suspense tale that explores
acting that can serve as catharses and be a dangerous tool in the wrong
hands. Excellent performances, and gripping tension makes this a
thriller worth watching.
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