The Skin of the Wolf

This film blew me away. Not only was the cinematography exceptional, the score lent itself perfectly to the stark yet beautiful surrounds. Mario Casas played the mountain man perfectly, an uncultured and uncouth brute who intimidates all who come before him. A man out of time living in tune with wild nature. The film evokes the sense that the modern world is a veil, and that nature is a brutal yet beautiful mistress, it resonated with me because modern people have forgotten what is necessary to survive within the natural world. His constant work, his constant prowling, he leaps off the screen part animal and part man. He could be the earliest homo sapien living in the Paleolithic.

Yet in his one true friend in the village, in his small acts of affection, in his final act of mercy, and in his rare emotions, the viewer glimpses something which is uniquely human, both of nature and set apart from it. Despite his wild and solitary nature, his true heart is revealed in subtle and clever ways. Both director and actor carry this off masterfully. The only reason I don't give this 10/10 is because I thought that even a mountain man would recognize that verbal communication and affection were important, a small oversight in the screenplay imo, but all in this was a thought provoking, and quite touching insight into the human condition. If you enjoy thought provoking, beautifully shot and acted films which evoke real feeling, I recommend this.