Okay, fellow tape travelers, let’s rewind to 1989. Picture this: you’re browsing the comedy section at Blockbuster, maybe after grabbing some pizza. You see that familiar face – John Ritter, the king of tripping over furniture on Three's Company – plastered on a VHS box promising adult laughs. That movie? Skin Deep. And while it delivers laughs, it’s also a surprisingly messy, sometimes dark, and utterly unforgettable cocktail from the maestro of sophisticated slapstick, Blake Edwards.
Some comedies hit you with a custard pie; others, like Skin Deep, offer a martini glass full of laughs, neuroses, and maybe... well, maybe something glowing in the dark.
Edwards After Dark
Coming from Blake Edwards, the mind behind the suave chaos of the Pink Panther series (1963 onwards) and the mid-life crisis comedy hit 10 (1979), Skin Deep feels like familiar territory, yet slightly skewed. Edwards often explored the melancholic side of flawed men, and here, John Ritter’s Zach Hutton is textbook Edwards material: a successful, Pulitzer Prize-winning author whose life is imploding spectacularly due to his rampant womanizing and deepening alcoholism. It’s Edwards leaning into the R-rated sensibilities of the late 80s, pushing the envelope further than Dudley Moore’s escapades. The visual style is pure late-decade gloss – sleek Californian homes, questionable fashion choices, and that slightly detached sheen common in Edwards' later work.
Ritter Takes the Gloves Off (and Everything Else)
Let's talk about John Ritter. We all loved his effortless physical comedy as Jack Tripper, but Skin Deep demanded something more. Zach Hutton isn't just clumsy; he's self-destructive, often unlikeable, yet Ritter imbues him with a vulnerability that keeps you almost rooting for him. His timing remains impeccable, turning drunken stumbles and awkward encounters into comedic gold. There's a scene involving an electric toothbrush and unfortunate timing that showcases his genius for pained reaction shots. This wasn't just a sitcom star trying features; Ritter commits fully, embracing both the broad comedy and the bleaker undercurrents of addiction and infidelity. It was a deliberate move for Ritter, seeking roles that stretched beyond his television persona, and Edwards gave him ample room to play, fall, and flail. The excellent Vincent Gardenia also pops up, offering his reliable gravitas as Zach’s long-suffering bartender/confidante, Barney.
A Product of its Time, Warts and All
Make no mistake, Skin Deep is aggressively late-80s. The attitudes towards relationships, therapy (represented by a rather eccentric therapist played by Michael Kidd), and casual hedonism feel very specific to that era. The plot follows Zach’s chaotic attempts to get sober and perhaps win back his estranged wife (played with weary elegance by Alyson Reed), all while navigating a minefield of jilted lovers and his own compulsive behavior. It doesn’t always balance its tones perfectly; whiplashing from laugh-out-loud gags to moments of genuine despair can feel jarring. Contemporary critics were certainly divided, some finding the humor sharp, others deeming Zach too reprehensible. It performed decently at the box office, pulling in around $19.6 million in the US against its estimated $10 million budget – not a blockbuster, but proof that audiences were still keen on Edwards' brand of adult comedy, even with its rougher edges.
The Glow Heard 'Round the World
Okay, we can't talk about Skin Deep without the scene. You know the one. The infamous glow-in-the-dark condom duel. In a moment of pure cinematic absurdity – part slapstick, part sci-fi B-movie – Zach confronts one of his lovers' angry partners in a darkened room, armed only with... well, luminous prophylactics. It’s ridiculous, audacious, and honestly, kind of brilliant in its sheer unexpectedness. Remember how utterly wild that looked on a fuzzy CRT screen late at night? Forget CGI; this was pure practical effects wizardry. Word has it those weren't just off-the-shelf items; the props department had to custom-make condoms filled with a non-toxic phosphorescent liquid to achieve the effect. It’s a sequence so bizarre and memorable, it almost transcends the film itself, becoming a legendary piece of 80s movie trivia. It’s the kind of scene that would never get made today, at least not with the same go-for-broke practical weirdness.
Rating and Final Rewind
Skin Deep isn't a perfect film. Its tonal shifts can be clumsy, and Zach Hutton tests the limits of audience sympathy. But it's also a fascinating showcase for John Ritter's range beyond sitcom stardom and a distinctive, if minor, entry in Blake Edwards' filmography. It captures a specific late-80s mood of excess and ennui, punctuated by moments of comedic brilliance.
Rating: 6.5 / 10 - The rating reflects the film's unevenness but acknowledges Ritter's terrific performance, Edwards' stylish direction, and the unforgettable audacity of certain sequences. It's funny and insightful in spots, cringey in others, but never boring.
Final Comment: A boozy, messy, yet undeniably memorable trip through late-80s male angst, powered by John Ritter's fearless physical comedy and featuring one of the most bizarrely iconic practical effects gags of the entire VHS era. Worth revisiting, perhaps with a stiff drink in hand.