Elizabeth Banks stars in what begins as a stereotypical, humorous story of famous Hollywood skin care specialist to the stars. As Hope Goldman is about to hit it big, but because of jealousy and turf, it turns into a dark Hollywood thriller. The screenplay, co-written by Director Austen Peters, San Frellich, and Deering Regan is loosely based on a real story around 2013 about Dawn DaLuise who was known as “facials to the stars.” Her story has has even more twists and turns. DaLuise was not consulted in the making of this film.
Peters is known for directing music videos. And he uses closeups of Goldman’s magic fingers applying her special potions, set to music, to show her skin care expertise. This is his first feature film. He directs Banks as the bright eyed, decked out, Hope Goldman, always dressed to the nines with feathers and spangles. She is constantly hawking her new line of cosmetics. Her Italian formulated moisturizer is her signature product.
But her whole venture suddenly veers towards collapse when rival facial specialist, Angel (Lewis Gerardo Méndez) opens a shop right across from Hope’s, sucking out media attention and high end clients, right under Hope’s nose. She confronts Angel and it goes downhill from there.
Elizabeth Banks does a respectable job playing the naive, driven woman who thinks the world will beat a path to her doorstep simply because she makes a good product. But when her tires are slashed, and then her email gets hacked, sending a profane blast email to all of her clients, she’s beside herself. The emails, along with obscene photos, invite men make her sexual fantasies come true, including rape. She allows darkness to take over and tries to find a way to fight back. That’s when she makes bad choices, and headed to a very bad place. The only voice of reason who gives any useful advice is her assistant, the striking, Marine, (Michaela Jaé Rodriguez).
Hope becomes obsessed with taking Angel down, convinced he’s the source of all her troubles, enlisting help of her life coach, Jordan (Lewis Pullman) and Auto repair shop owner, Armen (Erik Palladino) to get the goods on Angel. Neither of these two turn out to be very smart or upstanding. Pullman makes a mark playing Jordan on several levels. Hope also turns to local LA Morning TV personality Brett Wright (Nathan Fillion), tangling with him to air a positive spot on her new moisturizer and business, which had been replaced. But Brett’s interest was more carnal towards Hope than anything else.
We figured out who her tormentor was early on and his reveal is chilling. But it doesn’t stop there. Banks then plays so frustrated and angry, she goes all out for revenge. Some of the plot becomes silly, but also disturbing as every move she makes turns into a disaster. Peters throws in a few more misdirections with more bad decisions on Hope’s part, and it gets pretty dark. There are a lot of LA stereotypes thrown in.
Banks looks great on screen every minute in some fun retro outfits as a woman hell bent on seeking fame and fortune, then revenge. Peters and Banks show that “Beauty may only be skin deep,” but this thinly layered thriller has its share of blemishes.
IFC Films 1 hour 36 minutes R
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