The first red flag is the opening title card, which reads "This is a true story." The use of "is" rather than "based on" or "inspired by" is a harbinger of the lack of perspective and humility that enables the film's most egregious excesses.

There are some choices in the structure of In Her Skin that don't quite pay off.

The unpleasant narrative makes for a disturbing but not a good drama.

It's on the sloppy side, but the primary textures of alarm are sustained and sharply performed, making for a gut-wrenching viewing experience with a foundation in reality that's too awful to bear.