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Visitors Review

Stampsfightclub 2013-05-24 09:21:17

Mildly interesting cover of significant real life problem

Married John Mullany (Gallagher) is having an affair with his wife'ssister Cynthia (Giacomo) whilst the arrival of his old friend createsproblems.When looking at romantic hits in the last 20 years we have seen a fairshare of ups and downs. From the clichéd look at happiness and love inRichard Curtis' Love Actually to the intimate look at how friendshipaffects relationships in Rob Reiner's When Harry met Sally we have seenhighs and lows at an important part of how love and lust affect ourlives. Recently the trend has lowered where everything is set in stonesuch as Hitch or Intolerable Cruelty. Good films with humour but aninevitable conclusion. So where does Steven Soderbergh's picture rank?If, in the first half an hour, you become bored with the obviouspredictability and over dramatic inclusion of Andie MacDowell'smarriage then just think of this as build up for something mercifullybetter. This opening with MacDowell's protagonist Ann conversing withher therapist is frankly boring. Then we see her husband having anaffair with her very own sister. So already this feels like an episodefrom Coronation Street. Graham's introduction though at firstultimately boring becomes interesting once we see his bizarre hobby. Finally the script all starts to make sense. This boring build uplayers the foundation for Grahams' inclusion and the implication of sexand the significance of happiness in adversity. Sex is the most coveredtopic out of the three keywords but for some reason we barely see anyso the fact that it is debated so much but shown minimally begs thequestion of the significance and the lack of enthusiasm for it. Nevertheless there is no shaking the subject is relative, whilstcombining mildly interesting plots about affairs, unemployment andperversion.Yes, it's soapy and you pick up clues as easy as Graham picks up womenbut this is almost irrelative thanks to a sharp performance by Spader.He steels the light in every scene, though hardly difficult next toMacDowell's egregious act at loneliness. Gallagher and Giacomo havetheir moments too. During the opening stages the sound does not go in sync with theactors. The constant use of narration is overplayed and just seeing allthese problems with the production does not help the film's supposedcause to preach and entertain. Compared to other classics this 1989 romance has its moments with itsmain issue but ultimately this is predictable and not really worth thehassle when other such romances as Rob Reiner's masterpiece or AmericanBeauty demonstrate how to handle sex without being predictable orsoapy.

David Cervi 2013-05-23 15:40:47

Didn't live up to the expectations

I heard a great deal about this movie from some of my friends andhaving seen some of Soderbergh's more recent works, I must say I waskind of let down. The story in itself is kind of interesting but thecharacters (and the actors) aren't. Most of the characters feltsuperficial to me ie. the successful lawyer having an affair, cheatingsister, repressed wife etc. I just think Soderbergh should have builtthe characters a little more. Other than that it is quite a decentfilm. Especially the different perspectives this film gives you oninfidelity and dishonesty (and fetishes I guess). Not a movie I wouldwatch again though... I'll just stick to Soderbergh more recent work(Traffic was brilliant).

Galina 2013-05-21 21:45:12

Fascinating Debut

Steven Soderbergh's now legendary debut was the first his film I saw.It was in 1989, during the Moscow International Film Festival. Onlylater I found out that Sodebergh was 29 when he wrote the screenplay ineight days during a trip to Los Angeles and made the film for $1.8million. His independent movie was a real hit that was selected forCannes Film Festival and won the Palme d'Or and the best actor prizefor James Spader.The film concerns four attractive and intelligent young people. Ann(Andy MacDowell in the best role I've ever seen her) is married to John(Gallagher) but their sexual life is practically non-existent since Annfinds sex over-rated, and to simply put it, she does not enjoy or evenneed it. John is having an affair with Ann's sexy younger sister,Cynthia (San Giacomo) who seems to resent Ann. Enters Graham (Spader),John's college friend with the unusual hobby of videotaping women whilethey describe their sexual fantasies and very important skill - heknows how to listen.I had seen many movies before "sex, lies and videotape" and I've seenplenty since but it has a special place in my memory. It was the firstfilm I had seen that dealt with and talked about very intimate topicsof sexuality, satisfaction, jealousy, sisters' relationship, maritalproblems and loyalty, the secret longings in all of us, and the evermysterious nature of erotic desire with such level of honesty,openness, and intelligence. The writing, the dialogs, and the actingare superb with James Spader and Laura San Giacomo simply outstandingand Andie McDowell very convincing.

2013-05-21 17:12:54

angst for the memories

This review is from: Sex, Lies, and Videotape (DVD) when historians or martians or whoever sort through the detritus of the 20th century, they will puzzle over how such simple conflicts could cause such complex anxieties. this film, should it survive, will serve as quite the time capsulization of the post-baby-boom / generation x angst. yes, the story and plot are deceptively simple. yes, the actors--especially Cannes-Festival winner James Spader--opt for subtlety over bombast. but after several viewings in a theater, on video and on DVD, this film continues to stand up as a testament to the conflicts of its time. some may be bored. some, like me, may be moved to tears. less, here, is so much more. an astonishing debut for writer/director steven soderberg.

Michael O'Keefe 2013-05-20 13:26:05

A story of lust and sexual awakening.

John Melaney (Peter Gallagher) is a businessman not content with hisfrigidwife, Ann (Andie MacDowell). Melaney is having an affair with his wife'ssister, played by Laura San Giacomo. A friend of Melaney, played by JamesSpader, returns to town. The friend is openly impotent and has a fetish ofvideo taping women talking about their sex life.Well directed and written by Steven Soderbergh.

edwagreen 2013-05-19 22:26:26

Eroticism and Frustration Just Don't Mix *

This film is not exactly Tennessee Williams's "A Steetcar NamedDesire." Given, we have plenty of frustration, anxiety, eroticism andutter despair shown, but the film essentially becomes a moody piece ofunhappiness, deceit and repressed sexual desires.The performances are good, especially those of Andie McDowall and PeterGallagher as the apparently unhappy couple engaging in their sexualpeccadillo's.As the sister engaged in an affair with her brother-in-law, Laura SaintJacamo is appealing, but the material she has to work with leaves a lotto be desired.In the age of taping and other technological advances, we need to knowwhy these people engage in the behavior they do. We come away with atotally unsatisfying feeling after viewing the film.

2013-05-19 03:58:10

Nothing Nude; Yet Something Lewd

I saw this movie yesterday with lot of anticipation, for it is the first venture for Steven Soderbergh. His Traffic was a wonderful movie that captured the essence of drug dealing from the views of diverse people, from mongers to parents. And of course Erin Brockovich was outstanding too. But this is a very different plot, which revolves around four people and the lack of communication between them, their lives, their lies and a voyeur's videotapes. Ann is pent-up sexually and her husband John has an affair with her sister, of course without ann's knowledge. In the meantime, Graham, a college friend of John comes into the lives of the three and changes it rather dramatically. Everyone lies about their interpersonal lives and Graham happens to drive the two women out to reveal their secrets and change their lives with the women agreeing to talk about sexual relations. He videotapes them. Admitting that he is an impotent in the presence of a girl, Graham gets excited by watching the videos of women talking and doing whatever they want to do. Alhough the characters are not necessarily the best choices, in my opinion (I am not a great fan of Andie MacDowell by the way), they blend into their assigned roles pretty well. Its indeed amazing that the movie could be achieved without any nudity. Awkward and repelling, nevertheless well-made with the Soderbergh's touch.

MovieAddict2011 2013-05-18 21:01:44

Don't let the title fool you!

Steven Soderbergh's ("Ocean's 11," "Traffic") good, although strange,breakout drama about a housewife (Andie MacDowell) who sparks a relationshipwith her husband's (Peter Gallagher) old college roommate (James Spader).The catch? Spader has been videotaping Gallagher having an affair with hisnew lover's sister. Confused yet? You won't be after you watch themovie.Pretty good slice of American dark comedy/drama with MacDowell in her bestrole and Spader in one of his darkest. All in all a good film, if a bitoverrated over the years. I think its IMDb standing of 7.1/10 stars, as ofFebruary 26th, 2004, is quite accurate.4/5 stars.- John Ulmer

2013-05-15 20:30:18

Genius

People can learn more about sex and marriage from this movie than from a real therapist. The title of the movie is captivating and achieves its purpose of attracting an audience. The director (Steven Soderbergh) manages the topic of sex without showing any scenes of nudity or the actors having sexual intercourse, which demonstrates that he is a gifted director and artist. The performances by the whole cast are just brilliant. This movie is interesting, entertaining and simply incredible. A masterpiece!!!

evilpays 2013-05-15 09:56:30

Voyeur.com

Steven Soderbergh made his debut with sex, lies, and videotape in 1989.Themovie was ground-breaking for indie films- a dark, insightful vision ofvoyeurism. The movie has proven to be prophetic: nearly a decade later, inthe world of reality television, the movie is even more relevant, associetyseems more sexually hollow and voyeuristic than ever. It doesn't hurt thatthe movie is perfectly written, complex, and has inspired performances.Great movie!

2013-05-14 13:19:21

interesting movie

When I saw this the first time, I had really liked it. So I purchased it. Seeing it the second time I was not that impressed.

Lechuguilla 2013-05-14 03:16:28

Slow And Talky

Throughout, I felt like a fly on the wall at a psychiatrist's privatesession with a client. One character asks another an intimate question;the second character responds. Then someone asks another question, towhich a low-key response is given, and on and on. I don't recall amovie wherein characters ask each other so many nosy, intimatequestions. With its voyeuristic theme, this film gets just a tad toopersonal for my taste.Four attractive, thirty-something yuppies, two males and two females,with nothing on their minds but sex, ask, probe, inquire, explore, andpoke around each others' psyche, spurred on by one of the malecharacters (James Spader) who likes to videotape sex interviews withwomen. Fortunately, Spader gives a convincing performance, one thatrenders the story credible, if the viewer is interested in this sort ofthing.It's a modern story, similar in some ways to "Carnal Knowledge" (1971),but more up-to-date with the video technology. Scenes are filmed mostlyin interiors, which gives the story a claustrophobic feel and a senseof intimacy. We get to know the four characters, maybe a little morethan I would have liked. All of them are flawed and therefore veryhuman. The Peter Gallagher character is a scoundrel and easy todislike. The two women are sisters and very unlike, one an uptightintrovert, the other a rather salacious extrovert.The plot is slow, with long camera "takes". The script is talky.Dialogue trends too on-the-nose at times. The camera is rather staticand unobtrusive. I didn't like the grainy visuals of the tapedinterviews.Low-budget and very low-key, "Sex, Lies, And Videotape" will appeal toviewers who like films wherein characters talk a lot about sex. There'snot much "action". But all that erotic talk substitutes for action.Which is really the whole point of the film.

2013-05-12 03:34:18

A Strange Movie

This review is from: Sex, Lies, and Videotape (DVD) While I am always amazed by Spader, this is a really strange movie. It is really more psychological than graphic and you sort of lose the point of the whole thing. It was like he would rather hear someone talk about it than DO it, which I really don't understand but guess different strokes... HB

S-B 2013-05-11 18:18:31

Sex, Lies, and Videotape

James Spader did a really great play on this film! This film is about lies and cheating and how you'll get to know yourself just by thinking and talking about yourself! as simple as that!great movie from Steven Soderbergh!

2013-05-08 17:14:23

Strangely Curious

I was glad to finally see this film (on HDNet), but like most everyone I found it very strange. Yes it's about sex, but more the psychogical diversity each of us has when it comes to sex. Some want it more than others, some have to have it in certain circumstances, some don't really care for it, and some achieve it in perverted ways. The storyline is not too abstarct so it's easy to follow, but throughout the movie I was constantly trying to re-figure each character. My perception of each changed as the movie went along, paricualry Graham, who seemed less creepy as the movie went along as we begin to understand the underlying reasons for his problem. There is certainly a dark under-tone to this movie and much suspense, so it was rather engaging. However, I did find the ending to be abrupt, but I guess we're meant to be left to figure out what exactly happned between Ann and Graham. I figure there ending is happier than that of John's, who seems to get everything he deserves for his infidelity. Overall this was a very good film, however I don't think it's worth adding to my "elite" collection ;-)

2013-05-08 01:55:19

Should be retitled "love, truth and celluloid."

If you don't get this one, you're not bright enough to. Go watch all the French Eric Rohmer's "morality tales" which obviously inspired the then 27 yr. old Soderberg for an American attempt at this sort of thing. But the unique thing is here that everyone in the film is desperate to lie, live a lie--but even more desperate to tell the truth to the camera! The existential crisis of Graham, played lugubriously by Spader, is brought to an end by a confession--perhaps a lie as well--by John with the intention to hurt not to heal: years earlier he slept with Graham's object of obsession, Elizabeth. Little does he know that's all needed to set the poor unfortunate impotent Graham free to pursue his now estranged wife. The camera is the most developed character, along with the creepy new age "Hearts of Space" type soundtrack. Watch for a great revelation (among many!)from San Giacoma when she says "John and Anne don't have sex anymore."

2013-05-05 16:39:12

Finished by the graceful touch of God

I won't talk much about the synopsis, you can find it anywhere. I see SLV as an exceptionally intimate exploration of human sexuality, honesty and morality. Four leading characters divided into two groups reproduce an unforgettable confrontation of "the soulful" versus "the physical". Amazing screenplay and directing by the (then) 26 years old writer-director Steven Soderbergh proves and makes one wonder about how much a young artist can accomplish. The last couple of seconds of the film (an exterior scene) was improvised by Andie MacDowell and James Spader as a gentle rain started landing on the stage. Hence the altogether casual and graceful sentences "I think it will rain.." and "It IS raining" poured from the lips of Andie MacDowell and James Spader. On the commentary audio track Steven Soderbergh says about these last moments that "Everybody thinks that means something, but it doesn't", but I don't subscribe to that point of view. SLV has the most beautiful ending I have seen to date, and it has happened by itself. But it was deserved, wasn't it?

2013-05-04 23:55:51

Sexually Entertaining Buoyed by Flawless Performances.

Viewed: 7/03, 12/04, 2/07, 10/10Rate: 102/07: Sex, Lies, and Videotape is a small masterpiece. Starting off slow while slowly building up the depth of the characters, it begins to revolve around one man, Graham Dalton played superbly by James Spader, and then the conflict explodes in a climatic ending. Steve Soderberg keeps his direction taut and focused on the four primary players while trying to let the characters evolve and become the people with real problems. It's interesting how the conflicts of each player are intertwined with others, and then they become connected. The performances are outstanding: James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, and Laura San Giacomo. It's funny that I would see James Spader's character to be dark and mysterious, but in the end, he is just an ordinary person; however, not as mysterious as Mickey Rourke's John of 9 ½ Weeks. What makes Sex, Lies, and Videotape to work and achieve its accolades is the simplicity of the picture. 10/10: The sensual energy is what sustains the momentum for Sex, Lies, and Videotape that never lets down. The performances by James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, and Laura San Giacomo are throughly excellent and flawless. What I loved about the film the most is how James Spader's performance affected everybody else around him and how his character is the focal point even though he has a small but important role. This was a very small, low-key type of a picture, but the way Steven Soderbergh executed it...that was just brilliant. It was also his first full-length picture. So kudos for him. Of course, the title is misleading, making the audience think it might entail some nude scenes, but the film actually never did a second of it. That is what was so brilliant about the film: the sexual feelings and the romanticism aspect of it yet no actual viewing of naked people. Other films will do the obvious and still fail to be a sexy picture. All in all, Sex, Lies, and Videotape is easily the best film of everybody's career and remains one of the best films I've ever seen.

2013-04-28 18:19:40

Good movie - poor picture for Blu Ray

The picture quality (or lack thereof) of the Blu-ray version of this movie is just distracting. It looks grainy, and there are weird artifacts.

2013-04-28 02:01:54

my private-favorite film

A reader from Korea 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!