| | | The other American heroes.
Features: DVD
In the shadow of Mt. Rushmore, one of America's favorite tourist attractions, lies one of her poorest counties, The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. For Police officer Rudy Yellow Lodge, the painful legacy of Indian existence is brought home every night as he locks up drunk and disorderly Indians, which frequently includes his own brother, Mogie. Rudy's frustration with the alcoholism on the 'rez' leads him to take the law into his own hands, but his trail of vengeance ends tragically when he unwittingly injures Mogie. Ironically, their relationship achieves redemption after Rudy's tragic error in judgment, and the brothers begin the process of mending their fractured relationship. Ultimately, Rudy is able to honor his big brother, as well as his people, with one exhilarating and life-affirming act of defiance, revealing the redemptive power of the love between the two brothers.
"Wonderously good-spirited!" Duane Byrge, The Hollywood Reporter
"Schweig and Greene turn in utterly spectacular performances!" Aint It Cool News
Editor's Note
SKINS, based on the novel by Adrian C. Louis, is the impressive second feature of Native American director Chris Eyre (SMOKE SIGNALS). Filmed on location at the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota reservation in South Dakota, SKINS tells the story of Rudy (Eric Schweig), a policeman, and his older brother Mogie (Graham Greene of THE GREEN MILE), a jobless alcoholic. Mogie had once looked after his kid brother, but his experiences in Vietnam left him a bitter and broken man. Rudy frequently gives money to his mischievous older brother, which Mogie spends on beer. Frustrated with rampant alcoholism and crime on the "rez," Rudy becomes a vigilante. While Rudy thinks he's doing the right thing for his people, his extralegal activities lead to tragedy. SKINS is a powerful drama laced with acerbic humor. The film captures the harsh realities of Pine Ridge life with affection and wit, and breaks down negative stereotypes about Native Americans by portraying Mogie as a complex and ultimately very sympathetic human being. Eyre manages to make important points about contemporary Native American life without heavy handedness. His cast is very strong, particularly Greene, who delivers a phenomenal performance in this exceptionally moving and humane film.
| Features | Previews | | Rolling Rez Mini-Documentary | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Director Commentary |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: First Look Pictures |
| Release Date: 5/25/2004 |
| Running Time: 87 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2002 | | Catalog ID: 87209 | | UPC: 00687797872098 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | Movieline's Hollywood Life
"...[With] superb performances by Eric Schweig and Graham Greene....Both actors plumb the anguish of their characters with searing force..." 07/01/2002 p.40-2Los Angeles Times
"...Impressive....Raw and gritty....[Its stars] fill the screen with warmth, humor and spiritual yearning in the face of hardship and tragedy..." 12/13/2002 p.C18 Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
Skins is a portrait of a community almost without resources to save itself. We know from Smoke Signals that Eyre also sees another side to his people, but the anger and stark reality he uses here are potent weapons. The movie is not about a crime plot, not about whether Rudy gets caught, not about how things work out. It is about regret. Graham Greene achieves the difficult task of giving a touching performance even though his character is usually drunk, and it is the regret he expresses, to his son and to his brother, that carries the movie's burden of sadness. To see this movie is to understand why the faces on Mount Rushmore are so painful and galling to the first Americans. The movie's final image is haunting. - Roger Ebert
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