Sex, Lies, and Videotape
1989 Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Synopsis
A sexually repressed woman's husband is having an affair with her sister. The arrival of a visitor with a rather unusual fetish changes everything.
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I don't have many concrete thoughts on this film. Undeniably impressive in many ways, and with a pretty great emotional power, but one I just subjectively didn't respond that enthusiastically to. And I hate using that argument, and it is a cop-out, but I can't really explain why I didn't like this film more.
To be fair, I didn't actually like Spader's acting performance, and the other man here had a pretty one-dimensional character. Andie MacDowell has a great performance though, and her sister is good as well. Maybe what I couldn't get behind is that it's a film ultimately all about pop-psychology which I'm always apprehensive about - Spader's arc and big reveal was a bit hard to take…
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η σεξουαλική ένταση που δημιουργεί, η υπόγεια διαστροφή, οι κοφτοί, ρεαλιστικοί διάλογοι, οι αντιφάσεις των χαρακτήρων που βγαίνουν ήρεμα στην επιφάνεια μέχρι να φτάσει το φινάλε και να συνειδητοποιήσεις πόσο η σκηνοθεσία του Σοντεμπεργκ τους έχει "εκθέσει" και ξεγυμνώσει όπως ακριβώς τις γυναίκες στις βιντεοκασέτες. my soderberg's favorite
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Once you get past James Spader's hair, this little masterpiece will really get under your skin. In fact, despite all of his hard work since, Soderbergh has never made a film with as much raw emotion and power as this one. What makes that even more remarkable is the fact that everything happens so quietly. This isn't the kind of film that jumps in your face and forces you to watch the curiosities within. Instead, it just slowly unfolds while you sit there with nothing meaningful to say about it.
Sex, Lies, and Videotape turns out to be everything films like Shame were trying to be and more. The characters are stranger and filled with quiet horror, the plot moves…
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A quiet little film that slowly sinks under your skin until you're floating in its essence and your thoughts are sinking back into the film and both of you are floating on dreams of what could have been even though what already is there is deep enough for those invited to sink in as well.
I kid, of course. One might even say that I've lost my marbles. Regardless, this Soderbergh guy is pretty great.
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"Steven Soderbergh's directional debut back 1989 and it's a GOOD one. Soderbergh is one of my favorite directors of all-time and he writes and directs with brilliant intelligence about human sexuality. He puts together a great cast: Andie MacDowell (who was one of my celeb crushes back in the days, who's a TV actress nowadays) James Spader, Laura San Giacomo (who still looks nice today) & Peter Gallagher. Spader, San Giacomo & MacDowell are the true standouts here. Terrific movie."
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Sex, Lies, and Videotape is a subtly erotic drama which deals brilliantly with themes of identity, sexuality, and infedility. Its biggest qualiry is its rawness, from the appearance of the film to the performances, which gives it an almost haunting feel, albeit quite a minimal approach for Soderbergh as his directorial debut.
I'm usually quite creeped out by James Spader, but his role here (just like in Secretary) suits him perfectly; I guess fetishes like these do well to not be over-glamorised, so Spader is really well-fitting in the lead, especially alongside a somewhat naive Andie MacDowell. Their performances are natural and therefore engaging, so the film does well to slowly draw you in.
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I'm still working out my feelings on this. I loved that it was built like a stage play, the dialogue and script were intelligent, witty and absorbing. The performances were fantastic, Spader is always great but I didn't expect such deep performances from the other 3. However, I wasn't interested in the subject matter nor did I find the characters and their motivations that interesting. I think this will be a grower for me, I'm going to pick it up and watch it again soon.
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I don't have many concrete thoughts on this film. Undeniably impressive in many ways, and with a pretty great emotional power, but one I just subjectively didn't respond that enthusiastically to. And I hate using that argument, and it is a cop-out, but I can't really explain why I didn't like this film more.
To be fair, I didn't actually like Spader's acting performance, and the other man here had a pretty one-dimensional character. Andie MacDowell has a great performance though, and her sister is good as well. Maybe what I couldn't get behind is that it's a film ultimately all about pop-psychology which I'm always apprehensive about - Spader's arc and big reveal was a bit hard to take…
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very good
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83 out of 100
[From my random musings on facebook after viewing]
I like how SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE basically kind of invents one of the most odious tropes of independent film making, yet today it feels like it's a refinement or a rebellion against all of those films. The trope is of course the odious "Lets all talk about out thoughts out loud, and talk about out feelings!" trope indie film seems to be unable to not do anymore.
In particular, one very popular Academy Award winning film I used to like in high school is basically SEX, LIES AND VIDOETAPE, if it was funnier (or at least more quip-y), more iconic and full of forced quirk and devoid… -
"Steven Soderbergh's directional debut back 1989 and it's a GOOD one. Soderbergh is one of my favorite directors of all-time and he writes and directs with brilliant intelligence about human sexuality. He puts together a great cast: Andie MacDowell (who was one of my celeb crushes back in the days, who's a TV actress nowadays) James Spader, Laura San Giacomo (who still looks nice today) & Peter Gallagher. Spader, San Giacomo & MacDowell are the true standouts here. Terrific movie."
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Amei. Filme redondo: roteiro, direção e interpretações excelentes.
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(Reposted from Soderbergh review series)
The 1989 Cannes Film Festival. The films in competition for the Palme d’Or that year that year included Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, Jim Jarmusch’s Mystery Train, Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso, and Jane Campion’s debut Sweetie. Wim Wenders (who won the Palme d’Or in 1984 for Paris, Texas) was the Jury President (other jury members included Sally Field and Krzysztof Kieślowski). What ended up winning the Grand Prize that year? A film called sex, lies, and videotape, directed by a first-timer named Steven Soderbergh (well, first-timer in narrative cinema). It also won Best Actor for its lead James Spader, as well as the FIPRESCI Award. It was picked up by Miramax for distribution in…
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Slow and methodical, this film achieves everything it wants to at its own pace. I feel like I would get a lot more from it on a second viewing.
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Every line of dialogue feels crucial to the film as a whole. It's thrilling to see these characters play hacky sack with their emotions.