2018 Blind Spot Series: Sex, Lies, and Videotape


What I knew going in: As weird as this sounds, I thought I had seen this when I was a teenager and just forgotten most of it, but as I watched it in full now, I'm fairly sure I was confusing it with something else. 

Ann (Andie MacDowell) is pretty indifferent to sex at this point in her life. Her husband, John (Peter Gallagher) has started an affair with Ann's sister Cynthia (Laura San Giacomo) in the meantime. When John's old college friend Graham (James Spader) comes back to town after a long absence, he changes the lives of everyone involved. 

You would think with a title like this there would be a ton of nudity and sex scenes, but there isn't, and that's the beauty of it. This film makes its dialogue about sex. It's discussed, described, implied off screen, but never gratuitously shown. 

Director Steven Soderbergh is an interesting filmmaker. When I view several films from one director, I'm always trying to find their style. What makes them this great auteur. I'm not sure I can nail down his. Everything he does is so different from the film he directors before. 

I loved the cast here. Gallagher is great at playing smarmy fucks, but it's MacDowell and Spader that are the standouts to me. She was perfect as Ann, especially during her therapy sessions. She felt like a real person. Spader (side note: he was pretty hot back in the day. You go, Ultron.) had excellent chemistry with everyone he shared the screen with. That really shows you how great of an actor he is. I missed him when he wasn't in a scene.

I like it when I have a certain expectation for a film, and it gives me something completely different and better than what I was expecting. That's what this did.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: A

Memorable Quote: "I've got a lot of problems, but they belong to me." - Graham (James Spader)

Comments

  1. This is a great film as I wash surprised by the fact that it is a film about sex but with no nudity. It's just about the discussion of it and what it really means. Truly one of the best debut films ever.

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  2. You sort of make me want to watch this again!

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  3. Spader was hot, I agree 😂 I haven't seen this one, might be a Blind Spot for next year. Unless I can't take it and watch it before that! I really like what you said about it, with the lack of nudity/honest sex discussion, and the cast looks SO good.

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    1. Yay I'm not alone! The lack of actual sex still surprises me lol.

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  4. Ouch. That pain I'm feeling...it's you crushing my dreams. Whenever I came across this film, I always had it in my head that it was full of gratuitous sex (likely featuring a 5 minute Ultron dong shot), and now you've set the record straight. Hell, I didn't even know this was Soderbergh!

    I wonder if you and I are confusing it with the same movie...even though I'm not really sure what I'm thinking I thought...this was, if that makes sense.

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    1. I'm still trying to figure that out. I know once I see the title I'll immediately come to me.

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  5. This sounds very interesting! I really need to see it sometimes. Spader has insane charisma and I always liked Andie, it's a shame she kinda dropped out of the radar mid-90s

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    1. I read she almost didn't get this role because Soderbergh did't think she was a strong enough actress. I'm glad he was wrong.

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  6. Haven't even heard of this one... sounds intriguing though.

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  7. SO happy you liked this one. I love this damn film and can't wait for Criterion to release it soon. So great to hear that this one surpassed your expectations.

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    1. I am too, though I'm still trying to figure out what I was confusing this film with in the first place.

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