SKIN IN THE GAME: Movie Reviews
Yevette Renee Nelson
Director: Adisa
Writer: Adisa, Steven Palmer Peterson
Name of Leads: Sammi Hanratty, Elisabeth Hornois, Erica Ash, Angelica Celaya
Genre: Drama
Rising Epidemic of Human Trafficking Brought to The Screen
Bringing his hometown, Oakland, sensibilities to his film “Skin in the Game”, director Adisa takes us on a harrowing journey as Dani (Sammi Hanrathy) is taken off the streets of Los Angeles as her mother Sharon (Elisabeth Hornois) and her friend Lena (Erica Ash) search frantically for her.
Filmed entirely on location in Los Angeles, it gives it a strong level of significance as opposed to some none descript location. The back drop of the iconic signs and images show how the realities of human and sex trafficking home to a major U.S. city.
What’s happening on the screen reflects what’s happening on U.S. streets. On April 11, 2018, President Trump signed the “Stop Enabling Sex Trafficker’s act into law. This was aimed at closing websites that enable the crime to occur and prosecuting their owners and uses.
The United States Justice Department estimated that 35, 500 to 170,500 people are trafficked into the country each year.
Film has a strong message of the human and sex trafficking. California along with Atlanta and New York makes it vulnerable to this trade because of its proximity to international ports and airports, its large immigration populations, large economies and industries that attract human traffickers.
Skin in The Game is a good film that tackles an extremely important issue the U.S. and the world.
How female are groomed and exploited has a huge impact and how quickly a female can be turned out.
Director Adisa does a wonderful job of taking us along on the journey helping to explain those who are willing participants in this crime and
Writer (script, dialogue, plot credible, unpredictable)
Sound track works well with the intense drama that takes place as Sharon and Lena roam? the streets of Southern California going house to house looking for Dani.
Skin in the Game reminds us of the growing industries of human and sex trafficking in the United States and the strong presence in its major cities.
Run time:
Distributor: Kandoo Films
Producer: Howard Barish
Production Co: Kandoo Films in association with Khepo Films
Director: Adisa
Cast: Sammi Hanratty, Elisabeth Harnois, Erica Ash, Angelica Celaya|
Writers: Adisa, Steven Palmer Peterson
Cinematography: Kira Kelly
Editor: Alex Ivany
Composer: Jeff Morrow
Casting: Matthew Lessall