If you can make it through the first five minutes of this movie, you'll be fine. I think John Cameron Mitchell might have front-loaded the movie with sex to get the closed-minded in the audience to leave the theater before he really got started. And that's totally OK.
I was surprised and even affected by the emotional intensity of the cast when each of their relationships hit their rockiest points. But at the same time, the resolution of them seems too easy and not totally satisfying. Sophia's husband is clearly uncomfortable at Shortbus and he's already upset that he can't give her an orgasm. How is he going to handle things if she has one, and he isn't at the controls? Also, James and Jamie decide to open up their relationship, which sounds like it covers their problem. But does it? Both of them opened up emotionally to the new people in their relationship and that's bound to create much deeper issues.
While this movie is a welcome antidote to the Hollywood movies that treat sex as a popcorn diversion with no meaning at all, I don't think it dives quite as deep as it should. It sets you up for a big, emotional climax, but it doesn't deliver. I guess that makes it the movie equivalent of blue balls.
I was surprised and even affected by the emotional intensity of the cast when each of their relationships hit their rockiest points. But at the same time, the resolution of them seems too easy and not totally satisfying. Sophia's husband is clearly uncomfortable at Shortbus and he's already upset that he can't give her an orgasm. How is he going to handle things if she has one, and he isn't at the controls? Also, James and Jamie decide to open up their relationship, which sounds like it covers their problem. But does it? Both of them opened up emotionally to the new people in their relationship and that's bound to create much deeper issues.
While this movie is a welcome antidote to the Hollywood movies that treat sex as a popcorn diversion with no meaning at all, I don't think it dives quite as deep as it should. It sets you up for a big, emotional climax, but it doesn't deliver. I guess that makes it the movie equivalent of blue balls.