Shortbus **

Writer/Director: John Cameron Mitchell

Year: 2006

Cinematographer: Frank G. DeMarco

Caution: this film contains nearly pornographic material. I do not recommend it to anyone sensitive to seeing real sex acts played out as part of the film. I argue it does not cross the line into pornography because the scenes are not meant to be titilating, they are meant to depict the sexual adventures of very real humans and the pains and hurts and insecurities they have. The director does work to create some realistic characters, and I like that he doesn't choose sexy people or make the scenes glossy and cinematic, more or less he wants the audience to see and experience open sexuality with an honest look... and that is where my criticism lies.

I am not going to give a film a poor rating for high sex content, although some scenes really made me uncomfortable, I trusted the director to prove to me that he had something relevant to say through those scenes. And ultimately, I believe he failed. The character arcs are not complete or compelling enough for me, and the acting is okay, but far from being solid all the way around, and I don't think he achieved his own purpose... to show sexuality as it really is, with all of its insecurity, unintended humor, and negative affects, along with the love and passion of it. The film doesn't justify itself for me, and I am mature enough to be neither shocked by it nor to celebrate just for being "edgy". I believe someone could take this premise and do it better, basically, and that is why I criticize it.

Someone might say, well he intended it to be a comedy, but to that I say, it was neither absurd nor funny enough to be a comedy. Tonally, it has some overly melodramatic moments (which may have been intended to be funny, but just seemed sloppily written and acted) and some serious dramatic moments. The serious drama doesn't ring true either at all times, with characters not earning their big dramatic moments.

Not worth the time.