Alex Schaad's feature film Skin Deep is a small sci-fi drama that takes the time to explore the social and romantic implications of its simple premise. Body swap films usually aim to give the protagonist a different perspective and give them a chance to grow. In “Freaky Friday,” mother and daughter swap bodies to show the challenges both face at this age. “Heaven Can Wait” gives a former soccer star new life and appreciation. The anime “Your Name” probably comes closest to the concept of “Skin Deep” when two high school students who have never met before start switching bodies and decide to continue their new relationship by introduce each other. In “Skin Deep,” the process offers Leyla the chance to try something different and fundamentally renew her self-esteem and her relationship with Tristen, if only she would accept her new form.
Written by Schaad and his brother Dimitrij, “Skin Deep” is inspired by Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Lobster,” but with a darker tone that explores the unintended consequences of the procedure. Thanks to the luck of the draw, Tristen and Leyla are swapped with another troubled couple, Fabienne (Maryam Zaree) and Mo (Dimitrij Schaad), which makes Tristen so uncomfortable that he calls off the swap. Before he speaks to Leyla, she is devastated. This in turn leads to Leyla trading with other men on the island while Tristen remains the same, leading to more uncomfortable feelings and conversations. For Leyla it is a form of letting go; for Tristen the question arises as to whether Leyla still loves him in one way or another. “Imagine how close a couple would be if each person truly understood each other’s feelings,” Leyla told Tristen, who was amazed at the other couple’s relationship and wanted theirs too.
I followed Schaad's film and the ups and downs of Leyla's search for herself, but there was one detail that seemed less thought out than the rest of the narrative. The man who offers Leyla the body swap, Roman (Thomas Wodianka), mourns his partner and agrees to help her so that at least one of them can be happy. The new body awakens all the excitement and passion that has been pent up inside her, but when it comes time to swap bodies and leave the island, Leyla hesitates, revealing the ethical dilemma of swapping bodies with someone who that doesn't do it. . Due to the consequences or preservation of another person's body without their consent, this will never be fully corrected. This issue was resolved quickly, but felt very rushed compared to everything that had happened before.