A night at the movies
Dec. 17th, 2006 02:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
trixtahI finally went to see Shortbus at the movies while I was up in Sydney yesterday. If you haven't heard about it, it's notable for featuring real sex (and it's not a porno).
You know, it was alright. I liked the way that the sex was integrated into the story, and the acting was pretty decent. However, I think that fact that it was created improvisationally detracted from the plot (of which there is bugger-all, but you can have good movies despite that - look at Aliens) and characterisation.
The plot revolves around a female sex therapist who can't have an orgasm, and a gay couple who are thinking of opening up their relationship. They then intersect at a private group sex club. Where, you know, sex with lots of people goes on. So, ok, she comes eventually, but how the hell does she get there? I get no sense at all about any of her experiences actually influencing the fact that she does eventually get there. Her hubby turns out to be a secret kinkster, but he can't discuss it with her "because she won't understand". But there is no interaction between them about any of it (other than him throwing a hissy fit when he realises she's been faking for ages - still, their arguments are amusing).
The gay couple are on the rocks, because one of them is chronically depressed and isn't as in love with his boyfriend as the other way round. And that somehow gets relieved when he finally lets someone fuck him up the arse (ok, that is a relaxing thing, often, but you know), and then suddenly he and the boyfriend are just fine. I was reminded of Billy Bob Thornton being relieved of his racist wankertude merely by fucking Halle Berry in Monster's Ball. While sex can be pretty significant (and yes, life-changing), it normally takes more than one fuck, and quite a bit of process to get to a new place. And in this movie, the sense of progression was missing.
I'm also not convinced of the redemptive power of group sex, if that was supposed to be the point. Not that any of the lead actors get into orgy-mode anyway (until the end).
In sum, it was kind of cute, I liked the integration of sex and story, there were some very amusing bits, but the gaps in storyline/character development didn't work for me. B-, mainly for innovativeness and cuteness.
You know, it was alright. I liked the way that the sex was integrated into the story, and the acting was pretty decent. However, I think that fact that it was created improvisationally detracted from the plot (of which there is bugger-all, but you can have good movies despite that - look at Aliens) and characterisation.
The plot revolves around a female sex therapist who can't have an orgasm, and a gay couple who are thinking of opening up their relationship. They then intersect at a private group sex club. Where, you know, sex with lots of people goes on. So, ok, she comes eventually, but how the hell does she get there? I get no sense at all about any of her experiences actually influencing the fact that she does eventually get there. Her hubby turns out to be a secret kinkster, but he can't discuss it with her "because she won't understand". But there is no interaction between them about any of it (other than him throwing a hissy fit when he realises she's been faking for ages - still, their arguments are amusing).
The gay couple are on the rocks, because one of them is chronically depressed and isn't as in love with his boyfriend as the other way round. And that somehow gets relieved when he finally lets someone fuck him up the arse (ok, that is a relaxing thing, often, but you know), and then suddenly he and the boyfriend are just fine. I was reminded of Billy Bob Thornton being relieved of his racist wankertude merely by fucking Halle Berry in Monster's Ball. While sex can be pretty significant (and yes, life-changing), it normally takes more than one fuck, and quite a bit of process to get to a new place. And in this movie, the sense of progression was missing.
I'm also not convinced of the redemptive power of group sex, if that was supposed to be the point. Not that any of the lead actors get into orgy-mode anyway (until the end).
In sum, it was kind of cute, I liked the integration of sex and story, there were some very amusing bits, but the gaps in storyline/character development didn't work for me. B-, mainly for innovativeness and cuteness.
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Date: 2006-12-17 04:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-17 09:48 pm (UTC)The emotion porn was just fine, and I didn't mind the angsty stuff. What got me is that I didn't sense how they got to the resolution of the angst. Ok, with Mr Gayboy, I did, but I failed to see what the Shortbus crew had to do with it.