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Untouched

Name: Untouched
Director: Raphael Vieira
Released: 2017
Duration: 80 min

Representation Score

8.0/10

Good

2017

Director

Raphael Vieira

Runtime

80 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Untouched excels in its nuanced exploration of Black identity and the complexities of navigating high-status Southern social circles. By focusing on the tension between community reputation and individual truth, the film challenges traditional respectability politics. However, the film lacks visible LGBTQ+ representation and may rely on traditional clichés when depicting mental health and addiction. Despite these limitations, the film's strength lies in its psychological depth and its critique of performative social institutions.

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Category Breakdown

Does Untouched have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not explicitly mention LGBTQ+ characters or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities. It focuses solely on the intersection of legal defense and personal trauma.

How does Untouched portray gender?

Fair

The movie centers around a teenage girl facing serious accusations, challenging traditional gender roles. The tension between Mitch and his mother highlights how gendered expectations affect social outcomes.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Untouched?

Good

The story delves into Black excellence and high-status social circles in the South. It explores the pressure to maintain social standing while pursuing personal truth.

How does Untouched represent religion and culture?

Good

The film depicts the Tybee community and legal systems as entities that prioritize image over truth. Traditional social institutions are shown as performative and possibly corrupt.

Does Untouched include disability representation?

Fair

Mental health and addiction are central themes through Mitchell’s struggles with inner demons. His use of alcohol to cope with past trauma highlights invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

Sophisticated exploration of racial identity and the pressures of high-status Southern social circles.
Nuanced portrayal of gendered power dynamics through the conflict between Mitch and Eleanor.
Effective use of psychological trauma to drive character development and narrative tension.

Limited or Absent

Lack of visible LGBTQ+ representation or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities within the narrative.
Potential reliance on traditional clichés when portraying mental health and addiction struggles.

Official Synopsis

Untouched is the story of a reluctant attorney's struggle with inner demons while defending a teenage girl accused of murdering her newborn. When the "Hostess City of the South" is rocked by the horrific crime, Mitchell Thomas III becomes strangely compelled to defend the firm's newest client. Mitch and the girl connect and her circumstances exhume memories that begin to consume him. While his mother (Eleanor) rallies for a quick resolution in order to save the prestigious reputation of the girl's father from tabloid embarrassment, Mitch digs deeper into the Tybee community that hides the secret to the girl's pregnancy. The more he uncovers about his client's history, the more he drinks to escape the demons from his own past. Mitch realizes that in order to save this young woman, he must face the darkest events of his past. He works against his mother and an unforgiving city to acquit the young woman and mend is his own crippling wounds.

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