sex, lies, and videotape

Rating:
Summary: Appealing Indie
Review: "sex, lies and videotape" is an intriguing indie that comes from Academy Award-winning writer and director Steven Soderbergh, the man responsible for two of the Y2K's most critically acclaimed films - Traffic and Erin Brockovich (in theaters now is "Ocean's Eleven"). Soderbergh was 26 when he wrote and directed "sex, lies and videotape" in 1989, winning the FIPRESCI and Golden Palm awards at the Cannes Film Festival and garnering an Oscar nomination the following year for Best Original Screenplay. Like all neophyte filmmakers, he had a very limited budget ($1.2 million) and scant knowledge of what could substantially enhance a motion picture. Therefore, resources were limited and "sex, lies and videotape" has many weak points - sound/film editing, cinematography, inexperienced actors and ham-fisted direction. A blatant novice, Soderbergh's immaturity shows in the way his cast aimlessly wanders, the caliber of their performances glaringly under par.

Other than the flaws at hand, SL&V proves to be a very intriguing drama, unfolding slowly and discreetly. It begins with Ann Millaney (MacDowell) lounging on her shrink's settee and obsessing over the Earth's piling garbage. She's also bothered by the fact that her husband John's (Gallagher) old college buddy is coming to stay with them for a few days without her permission. John is an egotistical lawyer and lately Ann's appeal towards him has diminished, reaching the point where she recoils at his touch. John however, isn't too concerned about her waning libido; he makes almost daily visits to the apartment of her younger sister Cynthia (Giacomo) to quell his sexual urges.

Ann is oblivious to John's sordid affair and when Graham Dalton (Spader) arrives in town, things start taking a turn toward the bizarre. Ann finds herself captivated by Graham's quiet, contemplative nature and while visiting his apartment one day, he confesses to a titillating hobby - his entire catalog of video tapes contain explicit discussions with several women about their sexual histories. She is at first repulsed by his fetish but Graham manages to peak her curiosity and Ann eventually participates in his psychological game with a newfound fervor.

It's easy to figure out which actor has the longest resume. Laura San Giacomo is the neophyte of the group, her role as Cynthia Bishop her very first acting/film credit. MacDowell had done very little before SL&V, her only notable credit being a supporting part in Joel Schumacher's brat-packer classic "St. Elmo's Fire". Peter Gallagher's resume was substantially longer, though most of his work was based in television. James Spader is the obvious veteran (Pretty In Pink, Baby Boom, Mannequin, Wall Street) - he's the only person who seems to fit his character mold the best. As the introverted Graham, his striking appearance ("...a face that fluctuates between remarkably handsome and just plain strange") and his direct yet pensive delivery are very fitting traits that make Graham seem more alive than the rest.

Louisiana accents here are either nonexistent or horribly attempted. MacDowell is the only genuine Southern belle, her delightful twang acquired in the Carolinas. Giacomo's drawl comes and goes and even when it's there, it's painfully obvious that she's a Yank (born and bred in West Orange, NJ). This story could have easily taken place anywhere in the US (upper Manhattan would've been excellent), but Soderbergh chose to film in familiar territory - his hometown of Baton Rouge.

My biggest qualm with this flick is MacDowell's interpretation of Ann. I had read the screenplay several times before I finally rented the movie, delighting in the simplicity of the dialogue and the intense nature of each character. I found Ann to be a shy but extremely intense person and it's unfortunate that MacDowell plays her a complete 180º from what I imagined. Instead of the sophisticated and self-conscious woman I pictured, MacDowell has Ann laughing when she should be frowning, smiling inanely at inappropriate moments and underplaying her shock when Graham's MO is revealed for the first time. In short, Ann appears to be a total airhead, incapable of having a serious moment or an in-depth conversation - the "blonde syndrome", as it were. This is, of course, due to her inexperience.

With its central cast of characters and virtually no supporting parts, "sex, lies and videotape" could easily be converted to a stage play. The minimal sets and petite cast command attention, making SL&V eligible for a Broadway run (if Soderbergh were so inclined).

Despite the movie's technical flaws, one will find "sex, lies and videotape" to be an absorbing drama with a cast and director on their way to very rewarding careers.

Rating:
Summary: sex, lies, and videotape on DVD
Review: "sex,lies, and videotape" is a well-crafted little gem about adultery, sexual perversion, and the value of honesty with oneself. This film tells the story of Graham (James Spader), a minimalist anti-yuppi, who goes back to his home town and stays with his long lost college buddy John (Peter Gallagher) who has become a lawyer and Ann (Ande MacDowell) his eccentric but conservative wife. John is a bit repelled by Graham's free-spirited honesty and liberalism, but it is intruiging to Ann... until Graham reveals to her that he is more-or-less impotent, and tapes women talking about sex to get off. John is having an affair with Ann's sister Cynthia (Laura San Giamoco) a sexually aggresive bartender, who is informed of Graham's indulgent practice and takes part in a "taping", which puts all four characters in a landslide of events. Ingeneously crafted by first-time director Steven Soderberg, this film was the sleeper hit of 1989, and probably the year's best film too. The performances are superb all around, and are backed by an excellent script. Though not a highly technical film, this film has some neat camera tricks to offer.

The DVD of "sex, lies, and video" has only one extra feature worth metioning besides the theatrical trailer. That is the feature length commentary by the film's director Steven Soderberg, who is interviewed during the film by Niel LaBute, the director of "In the Company of Men". Better than most commentaries, the director discusses the preproduction of the film and his experience with the actors, rather than the technical aspects.

This DVD is a great addition to anyone's video library.

Rating:
Summary: sex, lies, and videotape on DVD
Review: "sex,lies, and videotape" is a well-crafted little gem about adultery, sexual perversion, and the value of honesty with oneself. This film tells the story of Graham (James Spader), a minimalist anti-yuppi, who goes back to his home town and stays with his long lost college buddy John (Peter Gallagher) who has become a lawyer and Ann (Ande MacDowell) his eccentric but conservative wife. John is a bit repelled by Graham's free-spirited honesty and liberalism, but it is intruiging to Ann... until Graham reveals to her that he is more-or-less impotent, and tapes women talking about sex to get off. John is having an affair with Ann's sister Cynthia (Laura San Giamoco) a sexually aggresive bartender, who is informed of Graham's indulgent practice and takes part in a "taping", which puts all four characters in a landslide of events. Ingeneously crafted by first-time director Steven Soderberg, this film was the sleeper hit of 1989, and probably the year's best film too. The performances are superb all around, and are backed by an excellent script. Though not a highly technical film, this film has some neat camera tricks to offer.

The DVD of "sex, lies, and video" has only one extra feature worth metioning besides the theatrical trailer. That is the feature length commentary by the film's director Steven Soderberg, who is interviewed during the film by Niel LaBute, the director of "In the Company of Men". Better than most commentaries, the director discusses the preproduction of the film and his experience with the actors, rather than the technical aspects.

This DVD is a great addition to anyone's video library.

Rating:
Summary: Do not tempt the human nature !
Review: A prestigious, successful and selfish lawyer , whose wife has become frigid , has decided to have an affair with his sister in law .
But an old colleague is invited for him to his home in such effervescent state of things . You will discover why you do not have to experience with the feelings and desires of the human being because you as hunter may be well become hunted and being the fatal victim of your own and immature behavior.
A lesson life , excellently acted with reminiscences of the Nouvelle Vague with Chabrol , Rohmer and Malle as their major influences .
This film was the Opus one of Soderbergh, winner in Cannes and to date undoubtedly his masterpiece .


Rating:
Summary: my private-favorite film
Review: A reader from Korea <±×¸²: 5 out of 5 stars> my privite - favorite- film.... before leaving my comment, I want to tell everyone will read this I'm not American, stricktly, I'm not good at English. so If you read this writing and feel funny, understand me. when I watch this film for the first time, I cried. 4 kind of man is represented interlocking relasionship, even in this country it can be experienced.....I felt human solitary is same and his(her?) wound which cause isolation should be cured any way. but how? this film give some tips about the question, that is 'confession'. individual private secret or sin, and his condition.. / unperfact and woundful human-being is... still precious only because of his existense. I'm sure I'm not a Existensist but I Know the power of the communication. Honest communication helps me recover my own preciousness(?) given from Lord. In this film, I couldn't agree of the result. but "result" can open to the viewer. in any other movies, It can be, I think. any way If you watch this, you must move/ sex- relationship remind me of wang-ka-wai's film. how about you? whole- silent, cool movie thanks for reading me!

Rating:
Summary: Phenomenal film, but the DVD version doesn't work!!!!!!
Review: A true masterpiece that is at once beautiful and stunning. But does anyone own a DVD version that works properly? (On both copies I bought, the audio was screwed up).

Rating:
Summary: One of the worst films I have ever seen
Review: Along with LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, A BEAUTIFUL MIND, DOGMA, FREE ENTERPRISE, and 20 DATES, this is easily one of the worst films I have ever seen.

Like all of Soderbergh's films, SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE is VERY conservative. It is conformist kitch that legislates in the name of the "normal."

James Spader is a scopophiliac who learns to give up his fetish, throws away his videotape collection, and is normalized at the end of the film.

The film's politically offensive and repressive character makes it even more unwatchable than OCEAN'S ELEVEN.

After SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE, Soderbergh would go on to distort, commercialize, and sensationalize Kafka's life in the disgusting KAFKA.

See Schrader's AUTO-FOCUS instead!---a film that isn't afraid of exploring human "perversity"!

Rating:
Summary: This was definitely something different...
Review: Although this film is low budget and somewhat outdated, it is still intriguing and captures the attention of the viewer. Despite being slow in some spots, it has a great deal of depth and feeling to it and provokes a lot of thought.

The story revolves around an uptight woman named Ann, whose husband is cheating on her with her own sister. When one of the husband's old college friends, Graham (James Spader), comes into the picture, he gets mixed up in the scenario and finds out information that he really shouldn't know. Because he is impotent, Graham can only find sexual pleaure through taping women talking about their sexual experiences. When he interviews Ann's sister, Cynthia, she reveals information about the affair. I won't talk about what happens after that, to avoid spoiling the movie.

I wasn't too impressed by the acting in this film. With the exception of James Spader, the cast was nothing spectacular. Spader's performace as Graham was terrific, as are all of his performances, and he is the reason why this film worked. His character is pathetically vulnerable and he does a fantastic job with the role.

Overall, I would recommend this film as something to check out. You probably won't be blown away, but it may make you think about your personal feelings and relationships in a new way.

Rating:
Summary: Great movie!!!!!!!!!!
Review: An excellent movie that is deliberatly paced and contains great performances. If you are an art-house fan, you must see sex,lies, and videotape.

Rating:
Summary: my privite - favorite- film....
Review: before leaving my comment, I want to tell everyone will read this I'm not American, stricktly, I'm not good at English. so If you read this writing and feel funny, understand me. when I watch this film for the first time, I cried. 4 kind of man is represented interlocking relasionship, even in this country it can be experienced.....I felt human solitary is same and his(her?) wound which cause isolation should be cured any way. but how? this film give some tips about the question, that is 'confession'. individual private secret or sin, and his condition.. / unperfact and woundful human-being is... still precious only because of his existense. I'm sure I'm not a Existensist but I Know the power of the communication. Honest communication helps me recover my own preciousness(?) given from Lord. In this film, I couldn't agree of the result. but "result" can open to the viewer. in any other movies, It can be, I think. any way If you watch this, you must move/ sex- relationship remind me of wang-ka-wai's film. how about you? whole- silent, cool movie thanks for reading me!