Skin (2008) directed by Anthony Fabian
Skin tells the true story of Sandra Laing who struggled her entire life to find her identity in South Africa during apartheid. Her parents are white, but she is unmistakably dark skinned. This is odd, though should not be surprising. After all, as a geneticist in the film states, "many and perhaps most Afrikaners have some non-white blood." In her parents eyes, Sandra is unquestionably white. They raise and love her like any other white child and are outraged when others treat her differently. Her father fights all the way to the Supreme Court to ensure that Sandra is classified as white and eventually gets his way. However, a piece of paper cannot shield Sandra from the realities of the world around her; she is still seen as black and quickly realizes just how different she really is despite what her parents say.
Ironically it is Sandra's father who would cause her the most grief. Just because he has fought for and accepted her it does not mean he accepts blacks. He works closely with them at the store, but is decidedly distant. He tells his wife harshly to do business with them, not talk with them. So when Sandra finds she has more in common with Petrus, a black man, rather than the white men her parents set her on dates with, he is furious. When she runs off with Petrus he disowns her. Sandra is stuck between two worlds. She is neither white or black. In a twist of irony she must go back to the records office where her father once fought for her to be classified as white to become reclassified as black so she can legally live with Petrus and their mixed child; otherwise she is breaking the law. When Petrus grows to resent Sandra's whiteness, she is left all alone rejected by both sides.
The story focuses more on the family drama and Sandra's search for identity rather than the political landscape of the time. There is no need for Mandela or protestors to make appearances because we can see the injustice in Sandra's very existence. It is a compelling story told convincingly by Sophie Okonedo's performance as Sandra spanning several decades. The emotional pay off at the end is rather subdued and not as uplifting or satisfying as one would expect. That is okay though, sometimes we don't need the extra sentimental Hollywood ending to make it work. Just because apartheid ended it doesn't magically erase the emotional turmoil that Sandra had to go through her whole life.
Grade: B
Skin tells the true story of Sandra Laing who struggled her entire life to find her identity in South Africa during apartheid. Her parents are white, but she is unmistakably dark skinned. This is odd, though should not be surprising. After all, as a geneticist in the film states, "many and perhaps most Afrikaners have some non-white blood." In her parents eyes, Sandra is unquestionably white. They raise and love her like any other white child and are outraged when others treat her differently. Her father fights all the way to the Supreme Court to ensure that Sandra is classified as white and eventually gets his way. However, a piece of paper cannot shield Sandra from the realities of the world around her; she is still seen as black and quickly realizes just how different she really is despite what her parents say.
Ironically it is Sandra's father who would cause her the most grief. Just because he has fought for and accepted her it does not mean he accepts blacks. He works closely with them at the store, but is decidedly distant. He tells his wife harshly to do business with them, not talk with them. So when Sandra finds she has more in common with Petrus, a black man, rather than the white men her parents set her on dates with, he is furious. When she runs off with Petrus he disowns her. Sandra is stuck between two worlds. She is neither white or black. In a twist of irony she must go back to the records office where her father once fought for her to be classified as white to become reclassified as black so she can legally live with Petrus and their mixed child; otherwise she is breaking the law. When Petrus grows to resent Sandra's whiteness, she is left all alone rejected by both sides.
The story focuses more on the family drama and Sandra's search for identity rather than the political landscape of the time. There is no need for Mandela or protestors to make appearances because we can see the injustice in Sandra's very existence. It is a compelling story told convincingly by Sophie Okonedo's performance as Sandra spanning several decades. The emotional pay off at the end is rather subdued and not as uplifting or satisfying as one would expect. That is okay though, sometimes we don't need the extra sentimental Hollywood ending to make it work. Just because apartheid ended it doesn't magically erase the emotional turmoil that Sandra had to go through her whole life.
Grade: B
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