Any film that proposes to portray sex in a raw and unfiltered form runs the risk of becoming somewhat of a curiosity. On the other hand, very few filmmakers attempt to portray the essential function sex has in our lives with any sort of honesty. John Cameron Mitchell's Shortbus ends up being both a curiosity and an attempt at sexual reality. For the most part it works.
The film follows a straight sex therapist who has yet to have an orgasm herself, a gay male couple, and a dominatrix with human connection issues. Their struggles are mostly played out at Shortbus, a sex salon in New York.
On a larger scale, the film is about breaking the chains of sexual repression....about escaping what is holding you back, and about being true to what you need sexually. The sex salon is an absurd yet decent vehicle to allow the characters to do this.
The writer seems to think that sexual freedom equates to getting it on with different partners. Maybe this is just his fantasy played out within the film. If this film leans one way it leans towards the gay lifestyle. The depictions of gay male sex are much more graphic of that of the male/female scenes. It feels like a gay themed movie, even though there are heterosexual story lines. Maybe the writer didn't think a gay sexual awakening movie would play to a large audience.
The dialogue in Shortbus is witty, but rooted in 20/30 something NYC hipster culture. Therefore it doesn't always feel real. Maybe the film would have worked better if they could have involved people from all over the country. Another underlying theme is the love of New York City. "New York is where everyone comes to be forgiven" is a great line. Maybe Shortbus could only happen in New York. I don't know, I just had trouble relating to it.
Shortbus will be a bit raw a graphic for most people and that's too bad because it has something to say under all the sex. This film is a celebration of sexuality and personal freedom. It advocates for growth and indulgence, and ultimately personal discovery. It is a risk well worth taking.
The film follows a straight sex therapist who has yet to have an orgasm herself, a gay male couple, and a dominatrix with human connection issues. Their struggles are mostly played out at Shortbus, a sex salon in New York.
On a larger scale, the film is about breaking the chains of sexual repression....about escaping what is holding you back, and about being true to what you need sexually. The sex salon is an absurd yet decent vehicle to allow the characters to do this.
The writer seems to think that sexual freedom equates to getting it on with different partners. Maybe this is just his fantasy played out within the film. If this film leans one way it leans towards the gay lifestyle. The depictions of gay male sex are much more graphic of that of the male/female scenes. It feels like a gay themed movie, even though there are heterosexual story lines. Maybe the writer didn't think a gay sexual awakening movie would play to a large audience.
The dialogue in Shortbus is witty, but rooted in 20/30 something NYC hipster culture. Therefore it doesn't always feel real. Maybe the film would have worked better if they could have involved people from all over the country. Another underlying theme is the love of New York City. "New York is where everyone comes to be forgiven" is a great line. Maybe Shortbus could only happen in New York. I don't know, I just had trouble relating to it.
Shortbus will be a bit raw a graphic for most people and that's too bad because it has something to say under all the sex. This film is a celebration of sexuality and personal freedom. It advocates for growth and indulgence, and ultimately personal discovery. It is a risk well worth taking.