"Shortbus", the new film by John Cameron Mitchell caused a stir, when it was shown at the Cannes Festival in 2006. In the first line this was due to the explicit sex-scenes,which legally could be defined as pornography.But unlike in films like "Romance" or "Baise-moi" they do not aim at producing any voyeuristic excitation,but they just illustrate the attitudes and blockades of the protagonists.So I wouldn't call it an "Arthouse-Porn", it is human story, a partly sad and partly hilarious status report about urban sex and love.Acted mostly by amateurs,who play more or less themselves, the film lacks the artificiality and bashfulness,often to be joined with these themes.Sex may be a problem for them, but it could also be the solution, when treated with open-mindedness and a laid-back attitude.There are some allusions to the Flower Power Movement of the Sixties, the host of the "Shortbus" even says at one time "It's like in the Sixties,only with less hope". Nevertheless the film ends in a relatively optimistic vein.Some scenes are a little bit over the top for my taste (unnesessary fuss),but these are easily outweighed by those of emotional truth and seriousness,which really grabbed me.We are all confronted with the treated issues: Either by ourselves or by a friend of a friend of a friend...So it's nice to see,that the film shows understanding for every character and does not try to ridicule them.If you are not offended by graphic nudity,you should give this film a try,especially when you have the opportunity to discuss it afterwards with a group of good friends,male and female.
