I needed to hug someone after watching Skoonheid. One, because I was happy to have just watched the best South-African film ever made, and two, to calm my nerves. Oliver Hermanus has made a rather brilliant, but exceedingly disturbing film.In a nutshell Closeted Francois's perfect life as a husband, father, entrepreneur is about to unravel as he meets the young and gorgeous Christiaan.Mood of the film You live inside Francois's emotionally suppressed mind for the entire film. It is a sombre place.Best one-liner Six two-tone- and golf-shirt-wearing okes stand around a kitchen table drinking beer in the middle of the day. A seventh oke rocks up and is soon followed by a very feminine person of colour. The original six immediately get their rugby shorts in a twist. "Geen moffies. Geen kleurlinge," is the explanation.Best performance Deon Lotz, according to rumour, is receiving many international acting offers. He deserves every one of them. He plays a closeted family man living a double live and observing everyone and everything around him carefully. Yet he makes you care about him. He sets you up for what ultimately happens.Stand-out scene I cannot discuss the scene that impacted me the most. It is truly upsetting, but wonderfully portrayed by a monstrous, but pathetic, Deon Lotz and a vulnerable Charlie Keegan. You will recognise the scene.Negatives? One or two things were not explained clearly. Why Christian needed the money? What the envelope full of cash was for? Or did I miss the point?What makes the film relevant today? It deals with the possibly explosive consequences of suppressing who you really are - whether you are gay, straight or simply stuck in a job you hate. It could all make you go "postal".FYI Skoonheid won the 2011 Queer Palmes award and was the first Afrikaans film selected to be shown at Cannes. It was also awarded the Best South African Feature Film as well as The Jury Special Mention Prize at the 2011 Durban International Film Festival.

Everything that is well delivered in this movie,is so because of the amazing performance of Lotz.Lotz's acting is the body and soul of this entire film,which is too artsy and too long for my preferences.

Brutal and devastating. A quiet study in sexual repression and, at the same time, a sharp insight into white, post-apartheid Johannesburg.

Skoonheid is a slow-burn drama that portrays a dark and disturbing side to obsession and anger.

Nothing beautiful about the story. It is pure ugliness caused by deeply suppressed desire and obsession.

Crudo y contemplativo relato sobre un supuesto homofobico que vive una doble vida y se obsesiona con el hijo de su mejor amigo. Con buenas actuaciones y momentos intensos, sobre todo al final con la "explosion de emociones" entre los personajes principales. Tiene un final demasiado ambiguo para su propio bien, aun asi vale la pena por el tratamiento sutil de los personajes y el uso discreto de la desnudez. (Texto intencionalmente sin acentos).

Ugly. This is even less enjoyable to watch than I thought it would be.

gespanne en ontstellend

Death In Venice Goes South African, Michael Haneke-style. Fearless central performance by Deon Lotz and a fascinating, albeit repellent, charachter study about post-aparteid life.

Death In Venice Goes South African, Michael Haneke-style. Fearless central performance by Deon Lotz and a fascinating, albeit repellent, charachter study about post-aparteid life.

A disturbing, visually confronting piece of work by Oliver Hermanus set in South Africa. Francois leads a double life, a successful married businessman in one, and a sexual deviant in another. Francois' perversion is for sex with other men, but there is no room in that for the hated faggots and blacks. Hermanus creates an atmosphere with this film through the use of silence and mood, and I find myself torn between pity for Francois and his plight, and hatred for his inhumanity and selfishness. The dissatisfaction he feels about his marriage and the antipathy toward his wife and daughter are palpable.

A disturbing and tense movie. Some intense acting and good direction in this one. An open ended story with lots left to ones imagination. The turmoil was well captured.

Heart-wrenching and beautifully acted.

A riveting study of obsession and anger.

You want to experience human. Watch it open to all interpretation. Each character has a story each character feels real. Better to watch with an empty stomach