Skinned

Release Date: 1/9/16 (TV One); 2014
Genre: Drama
Rating: NR
Running Time:  88 mins.
Studio(s):  LOT10 Productions, Studio 11 Films
Director(s):  LisaRaye McCoy, Avery O. Williams
Cast:  LisaRaye McCoy (Mother), Brad James (Michael), Jasmine Burke (Jolie), Cycerli Ash (Dr. Smith), Nicky Buggs (Nikki), Tasia Grant (Melissa), Kerri J. Baldwin (Aunt Mabel), Van Vicker (Bobby).

Story:  Jolie is dark, beautiful, and appears confident at times, but her self-esteem is extremely low. This stems from the fact that she’s the object of childhood and adult cruelty concerning the darkness of her skin. Worse of all, her sisters are lighter in complexion and always considered the prettier ones. When Jolie gets to college she falls head over heels in love with Bobby, a light skinned swim star.

Bobby is the most popular guy on campus. Isabelle, a beautiful French Creole cheerleader, who would do anything to seduce Bobby, convinces Jolie that Bobby is only fond of light skinned girls. Out of frustration, Jolie is encouraged by a friend to begin bleaching her skin. After a little research, Jolie embarks on a mission to beautify herself and earn the attention of Bobby and the lighter girls on campus.

Fast forward 10 years later, Jolie is now married to Michael, an African business tycoon with a flair for light skinned women. When he questions her about the appearance of her skin at times, she lies and says that she has vitiligo. After 4 years of marriage, Jolie has not gotten pregnant. In an attempt to find out why, disturbing news turns affects their marriage and Michael begins spending lots of time outside of the home.  Thinking that he’s having an affair, Jolie enters into a deep depression.

Things begin to unravel when Jolie’s depression gets worse and Michael suggests that she see a psychiatrist. Dr. Smith is a beautiful, confident, dark skinned sister. Through counseling, a friendship develops between Jolie and Dr. Smith as Dr. Smith assists Jolie in realizing her issues and insecurities with skin color. Dr. Smith takes Jolie to a dark time in her life where she discovers how and why she has ended up in a place of darkness and sadness. Source: skinnedthemovie, official site.

Trailer: