In several parts of the new movie Knives and Skin viewers are witness to a group of high school girls singing familiar songs in an unfamiliar way. The classics melody of iconic ’80s songs “I Melt With You” by Modern English and “Our Lips Are Sealed” by The Go-Gos are present when sung by the teenage girls ensemble in music class, but the harmonies add depth while the tempo feels a bit off, making for a mesmerizing performance. The haunting pop song scenes are some of my favorite in Knives and Skin, perhaps because they represent the movie as a whole: eschewing convention in favor of originality that’s both unsettling and intriguing.

Despite the fact the music scenes are some of my favorite, the movie is far from Glee. Young marching band member Carolyn Harper is missing following a confrontation with Andy after she turned down his sexual advances. With flashes throughout, we, the audience, can only assume the worst has happened. The plot, however, focuses on those closest to Carolyn and how her disappearance impacts their lives (or not).

(L-R) Aurora Real De Asua as April Martinez, Ireon Roach as Charlotte Kurtich, and Haley Bolithon as Afra Siddiqui in the horror / mystery / thriller film KNIVES AND SKIN, an IFC Midnight release. Photo courtesy of IFC Midnight.

My brief plot synopsis probably makes you instantly think of the movie Twin Peaks, but Knives and Skin is a wholly original film. Writer/Director Jennifer Reeder makes some bold choices in portraying unique dynamics of high schooler’s relationships, their family lives, and how their interconnectivity reveals some shocking surprises. Similarly bold are the color choices present in the film’s lighting and Christopher Rejano’s cinematography.

The film excels in it’s unique concepts such as the budding relationship of an emerging lesbian couple slowly revealing their attraction for each other and in the unique dynamic of a daughter struggling with her mentally ill mother who sleeps on pillows wrapped in aluminum foil. Unfortunately, those vignettes are deserving of their own films, and by stuffing so many concepts in one movie (There’s a sad clown sex scene! What!?) it waters down the cohesion of the plot. And, if you’re like me, eventually you’ll find yourself asking what happened to the missing Carolyn Harper, even if the rest of the characters forget to.

L-R) Haley Bolithon as Afra Siddiqui, Kayla Carter as Laurel Darlington, Aurora Real De Asua as April Martinez, Grace Smith as Joanna Kitzmiller, Ty Olwin as Andy Kitzmiller, and Tim Hopper as Dan Kitzmiller in the horror / mystery / thriller film KNIVES AND SKIN, an IFC Midnight release. Photo courtesy of IFC Midnight.

If you’re hoping for a whodunnit like the similarly names Knives Out, you’ll be disappointed. This movie is certainly one of the weirdest and most unique movies I’ve seen this year, but that’s not entirely a bad thing. Despite some oddly forced dialogue at times (“Give me some skin,” I’m looking at you), disjointed storytelling, and a lingering runtime, there’s plenty to be enjoyed and even studied. I feel like this movie has so much to take in, that it will be film professor’s field day to share and dissect in class.

Knives and Skin may just be like hearing that quirky new song for the first time. At first it can be oddly bewildering, but there’s something intriguing enough that you can’t help but revisit it again. Will it become your favorite? Who knows, but it’s definitely worth a spin.

Knives and Skin debuts in theaters and VOD Friday, December 6 from IFC Midnight.