Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writer (WGA):

Steven Soderbergh (written by)

Release Date:

18 August 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional Marriage | Male Female Relationship | Extramarital Affair | Unfaithfulness | Secret

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 12 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

James Spader	...	Graham Dalton
Andie MacDowell	...	Ann Bishop Mullany
Peter Gallagher	...	John Mullany
Laura San Giacomo	...	Cynthia Patrice Bishop
Ron Vawter	...	Therapist
Steven Brill	...	Barfly
Alexandra Root	...	Girl on Tape
Earl T. Taylor	...	Landlord
David Foil	...	John's Colleague

Also Known As:

Sex, Lies... (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:10 (1989) | South Korea:18 | Sweden:7 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Outlaw Productions (I)

Trivia:

In one scene, we watch a videotaped confession by one of James Spader's character's past lovers. The director gave the script and a video camera to actress Jennifer Jason Leigh in order for her to tape the speech at home with the help of her boyfriend, but they never got around to it and, once filming began, a crewmember was used in the brief role.

Goofs:

Continuity: Graham and Anne's hands when they discuss therapy in the cafe.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ann: Garbage. All I've been thinking about all week is garbage. I mean, I just can't stop thinking about it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Living End (1992)

Soundtrack:

Garbage

9/10

Soderbergh's startlingly mature debut is a small, intelligent, intimate drama, and talky in the most watchable way. His script concerning a frigid woman (MacDowell), her husband (Gallagher) and her extrovert sister (San Giacomo) who he's sleeping with, and his old college friend (Spader), is frank and open, which is precisely its charm -- Soderbergh doesn't pussyfoot around peoples' problems and the need to be open with them. Indeed, Spader's character takes a certain pride in his: "I've got a lot of problems. But they belong to me." Yet Soderbergh's voyeur approach is sexy, as he holds back from anything explicit and lets the words do the eroticizing, slyly examining and critiquing sexual attitudes. As the force who comes into these peoples' lives, Spader's character sets up his psychoanalytic questioning right from the start, innocently scrutinizing MacDowell. The film is incredibly well-acted, especially by Spader, who's delivery and nuance is perfect, and who always seems to be hinting at undercurrents below the surface. Even though the focus stays on just these four characters, this is a minor masterpiece. 9/10