I decided to watch it because I had heard the title, I saw it featured in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and then I found out it was the debut film from director Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Ocean's Eleven). Basically Ann Bishop (Four Weddings and a Funeral's Golden Globe nominated Andie MacDowell) is married to John Mullany (While You Were Sleeping's Peter Gallagher), and he is having an affair with Ann's sister Cynthia Patrice Bishop (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Laura San Giacomo). Ann is the quiet type who is having therapy to express her concerns about things in the world, and even knowing her marriage is rocky she doesn't feel like she wants to have sex. When John's old college friend Graham Dalton (Secretary's James Spader) comes along, renting a flat, he makes friends with Ann, and Cynthia is very keen to meet him from Ann's description. Ann gets to know Graham more, and she finds his box of videotapes, and he confesses that they are all women being interviewed by him talking about sex, their experiences of it, and their fantasies. Ann is a bit freaked out by this, and she voices her concerns to Cynthia, but Cynthia still goes to see him, and finds out herself about the videotapes. She asks him to videotape her to talk about sex, and during this she also masturbates in front of him, which Ann is pretty shocked to her. When Ann finds an earring belonging to Cynthia while vacuuming, she confronts John about a possible affair, which he denies, but she knows he is lying. She goes to Graham for some comfort, and she decides to do a videotape herself, which he did advise not to based on the circumstances, but she does it anyway. John finds out about Graham filming his wife, and he does go over to punch him in the face, but then he watches Ann's videotape where she discusses her problems. There is also a point where she films him about why he likes to film women doing this, and after John leaves, Graham in anger breaks all his tapes. In the end, John is possibly fired from his job, Ann and Cynthia make up with each other, Ann as far as I know leaves John and goes with Graham. Also starring Ron Vawter as Therapist, Steven Brill as Barfly, Earl T. Taylor as Landlord and David Foil as John's Colleague. MacDowell is a good quiet and bored wife, Gallagher is a really good sneaky and manipulative husband, Giacomo is great as the sneaky and seductive sister, and Spader is really good as the quiet man with a very questionable hobby. From the title you would think it featured sex, but it doesn't need any, it is one of the great films that relies on the stars talking in detail about it, so in summation, it is a brilliant mainly dialogue carried drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay. Very good!
Review of Sex, Lies, and Videotape
