certain topic in this case pedophilia be very tricky when it come to an adaptation on screen represent it very easy to go over the top and make something purely shock while that probably the big challenge and simply try to portray the story without annihilate the audience . there be a few good example of this and perhaps the safe one represent brockeback mountain and philadelphia or crash and seem to have find a balance between the delicacy of the topic and the need to take it to the audience in an effective and powerful and way . in mysterious skin be push deep into the life of neil ( joseph gordon levitt ) and brian ( brady corbet ) and two young men with a common background and although they do not know it . neil be the great character of the picture and partly because it be he that go on the strangest and more dangerous journey and or simply because of levitt performance represent his strangeness in every aspect of life and without ever be numb or absent while the way he wear his clothes and his body and always hitching and always agitate while simply the look on his face and smart but lose . throughout the movie we see the endless encounter that neil have and go deeper in each one and and continuously loose himself . it come to a point where death seem to be near by . maybe it just a little over the top . maybe there be no other way . i remember that in quite a childish way creep back from the theater and towards ordinary life and seem a relief represent not have to deal with that weigh anymore and feel slightly sick or oppress by life and finally do with that journey under the skin .