The Reflecting Skin (1990)

In the rustic milieu of 1950s Idaho, we find the Dove family, proprietors of a dilapidated gas station in their small community. Ruth Dove, the matriarch, harbors a simmering resentment for their gasoline-soaked life, herself the architect of the very circumstance she detests. Her family bears the brunt of her frustration, weathering storms of physical and emotional abuse. Her husband, Luke, escapes through the riveting pages of vampire novels, a refuge that inadvertently sparks a peculiar fascination in their young and impressionable son, Seth. Seth Dove, an eight-year-old with a mischievous streak, navigates the complexities of the adult world through the lens of his fertile imagination. His father's tales of vampires take root in his mind, transforming the quiet, widowed neighbor, Dolphin Blue, into a bloodsucking creature of the night. This conviction gains urgency when Seth's older brother, Cameron, a military man fresh from nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific, begins courting Dolphin. Seth's world teeters on the brink of darkness as he grapples with his fear that Dolphin will drain his brother's lifeblood and his suspicion that she has ensnared his missing friend, Eben. Simultaneously, Seth must contend with his mother's volatile behavior, his father's troubling past, a gang of unruly local youths, and the harsh realities of their rural existence. As he wades through this relentless tide, his fantasies become his compass, guiding his interpretation of the unfolding events around him. Seth's vivid imagination and the stark realities of his life intertwine, creating a mesmerizing tapestry of childhood naivety, family dynamics, and dark folklore in a world that seems to be slipping away from his understanding.

The Reflecting Skin is a drama movie featuring Viggo Mortensen and directed by Philip Ridley.

The Reflecting Skin is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Cineverse, Freevee, Kanopy, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Plex, Plex Player, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Tubi TV and it's also available on Midnight Pulp.

It is also possible to buy The Reflecting Skin on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Vudu and YouTube.