I must admit that I struggled to get through Canadian director Denis Côté's documentary about six body builders. There's a limit to how much footage I can watch of six men pumping iron, eating protein, getting spray tans and shaving their legs. I know that the director is trying to show us the unglamorous side of the profession - and boy did we see that. There's no soundtrack to the film other than hearing people work out really really hard. But I finished watching and discovered that I had no greater understanding of why someone would want to push themselves that hard, and what made these men tick. In fact, the only thing I was left with was a slightly queasy feeling about some of the cinematography which, rather than humanising the men, seemed to objectify them. I guess one could argue that they are objectifying themselves with their chosen sport, but it felt more than a little voyeuristic and awkward. So - it's dull and potentially disrespectful - there's no reason for me to recommend this movie.
A SKIN SO SOFT has a running time of 94 minutes. It played Locarno Melbourne and Toronto 2017. There are still tickets left for both screenings at the BFI London Film Festival.
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