The Girlfriend Experience
Director: Steven Soderbergh
More about the idea of sex than the act of it, Steven Soderbergh’s exploration of lust for sale is low on carnality but big on authenticity.
Real-life porn star Sasha Grey is Chelsea, a New York prostitute who commands top dollar for providing the illusion of emotional attachment along with sexual gratification.
There’s no sex and very little nudity in the film, which will disappoint anyone who doesn’t know the director’s Spartan aesthetic, in which art always triumphs over orgasms.
Grey makes for a fascinating Soderbergh surrogate, balancing curiosity and drive with the desire for emotional detachment.
On the basis of her work here, she may have a career outside of adult films, which she says she wants.
Extras include a discussion of the film between Soderbergh and Grey plus a promotional featurette.
