American Skin follows the story of an ex-Marine father (Lincoln Jefferson) who witness the death of his son in a targeted police shooting. When asked to star in a documentary by a high school student, the mourning father uses this as an opportunity to broadcast his revenge. The film takes a violent turn when Lincoln takes hostages at the police station and confronts his son’s shooter and stages a mock trial.
This film addresses the issue of racial profiling and the unfair judicial process that protects police. This movie is successful in shedding light on these issues because the father of the deceased boy holds his own trial to establish a fair decision on the guilt of the police officer. The trial scene shows what does not happen in real life, but gives a new perspective on the injustices that are swept under the rug.