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Tuesday, 26 December 2006 14:44 |
By JIM GENARO
It is rare for a film to portray human sexuality in a way that is honest and realistic. Hollywood almost invariably paints a fantasized, romance-novel vision of sex.
At the other extreme is the vast field of pornography, which brings vivid anatomical realism, but generally speaking, almost no emotional realism ÇƒÓ much less artistic quality.
Somewhere between these two extremes, yet true to neither, is "Shortbus," the new film by author/director John Cameron Mitchell ("Headwig and the Angry Inch").
 Let me stop just a moment and be perfectly clear. "Shortbus" is not rated for a reason. If it were, itës rating would be an "X."
The sex in the
film is extremely graphic, explicit ... and real. Any doubts about the
filmës nature are quickly laid to rest in its opening montage, which
features full-frontal male nudity, two people making love and one very
impressive feat of auto-erotic acrobatics ÇƒÓ which, for the sake of good
taste, I will decline to relate on these pages.
This is not a
movie for everyone. If you are disturbed by graphic depictions of sex
(much of it between same-sex partners), do not see "Shortbus." For that
matter, you may want to stop reading now.
That said, "Shortbus" is one of the most touching, funny and engaging films I have seen about the subject of sex.
What makes this
film great has much to do with the process by which it was produced
Much of the narrative was written by the cast, who immersed themselves
in their roles, workshopping the script for more than two years.
All of the sex
is real and the intimacy and dynamism between the characters brings a
realism that makes the viewer actually care about them.
The film
explores the sexual lives of several people living in post-9/11 New
York City. It explores sexuality on the fringe, taking a look at the
intimate lives of those who chose not to ride the "big yellow school
bus" of mainstream, conventional sexuality.
The shortbus,
the film reminds us at its outset, was the bus that both the mentally
challenged and the gifted students rode in grade school.
The storyës protagonist is a sex-therapist named Sofia, played by Sook-Yin Lee ("3 Needles"), who has never had an orgasm.
Though she
believes she is otherwise satisfied with her love life, her profound
frustration erupts when she begins counseling James (Paul Dawon) and
Jamie (P.J. DeBoy), a gay couple who are considering opening their
relationship.
When they learn
of her dilemma, the pair invite Sofie to the Shortbus, an underground
nightclub where people of all orientations and genders gather to meet
and explore each other sexually.
What ensues is a whirwind journey into the various issues, challenges and joys associated with alternative sexual lifestyles.
One of the most
touching aspects of the film is the relationship Sophie cultivates with
Severin (Lindsay Beamish), a dominatrix with a harsh exterior who has
trouble connecting emotionally with people.
Along the way, a
colorful cast of characters emerges, including Justin Bond (played by
himself), a drag queen who runs the Shortbus; Tobias (Allan Mandell),
the gay former mayor of New York and Rob (Raphael Barker), Sofieës
husband, who is forced to confront his emotions around her inability to
climax when they make love.
A poignant
moment comes when Tobias, now an elderly man, tells the much younger
Ceth (Jay Brannan) ÇƒÓ James and Jamieës new lover ÇƒÓ about the guilt he
carries for having not been able to do more about the growing AIDS
epidemic when he was mayor and was in the closet about his sexual
orientation.
What is so
striking about this movie is that while the sex is more real and vivid
than anything normally shown in most theaters, it is the characters ǃÓ
not the sex ÇƒÓ that stand out.
While I would
not recommend the film for many people due to its graphic and often
challenging nature, for those with an interest in pushing the limits
of conventional sexuality, "Shortbus" is a must-see. |
