2008 Woodie Awards
Unsimulated sex does not detract from message
By: James Hansen
Issue date: 4/5/07 Section: Reviews
4.5 stars out of 5
John Cameron Mitchell's "Shortbus" is full of real sex. Lots of it. For a less mature director this screams controversy for controversy's sake, Mitchell is not abusing this idea to obtain viewers. Instead, he has created an intelligent and sincere mix of sex, politics and a need for unity in post-9/11 America.
Sorting through a wide array of characters, the quest in "Shortbus" is to find a utpoia in today's society, whether it be through orgasm, partnership or the connection between the two. The film focuses on a young gay man named James, his married sex therapist Sofia and a domi-natrix named Severin. James is battling relationship and depression issues with his boyfriend Ja-mie. Sofia is a married sex therapist who is preorgasmic and is unable to have a real orgasm. Severin's lack of real communication begins wearing on her mind.
One step towards progress is found in the sex club Shortbus. There is rich idealism within the club and although Justin Bond dubs the period "like the sixties, only with less hope," there is hope be found. As James and Jamie search for the boy perfect for a threesome, Sofia is discover-ing herself as a sexual creature with the help of Severin.
In some way, each of the characters rhetorical inabilities leads them to disillusionment and depression. In the modern world, the journey for great communication keeps becoming more straining. Oscar-nominee "Babel" was a failed attempt to deal with worldwide communication problems. "Shortbus" limits itself to the United States on the scope of storytelling, but its ideals are further reaching and more successful than that of "Babel." What Mitchell portrays is an hon-est and real depiction of characters searching for something true, opposed to "Babel's" forced drama and stereotypical characters. By showing his characters in many different lights, Mitchell's portrayal becomes more endearing and striking to American sensibilities.
Mitchell's film has gained some notoriety as one of the few American filmmakers to use real sex. Mitchell is not using sexuality to be provocative, although his film certainly is that. In-stead, Mitchell uses sexuality as a storytelling device, to tell us something about our characters and showing us how sex can be used as a guise. Although everyone seeks to "get it in the end" as the musical finale of the film explains to us, there are variations of where achieving sexual gran-deur can leave someone. Each character comes to different conclusions about how to cope with their issues and how sex can be to achieve the partnership we all desire.
The first montage we see in the film is one where James performs felatio on himself and then begins to weep. At the same time, Sofia is having boisterous sex with her husband, prior to us learning that her orgasms are all fake. Later, James and Jamie have a menage a trois scene, which includes singing "The Star Spangled Banner" into a man's anus.
Even with a vast number of sexual scenes, the sex is never what stands out in "Shortbus." Mitchell blends elements of slapstick comedy and melodrama in creating an endearing human portrait of life in the 21st century.
Gay, straight, bi or trans-gendered, "Shortbus" exudes the dynamic need we have for the people around us. It is in finding ourselves and redefining who we are, as individuals and as a country, that we can make sure we all get it in the end.
John Cameron Mitchell's "Shortbus" is full of real sex. Lots of it. For a less mature director this screams controversy for controversy's sake, Mitchell is not abusing this idea to obtain viewers. Instead, he has created an intelligent and sincere mix of sex, politics and a need for unity in post-9/11 America.
Sorting through a wide array of characters, the quest in "Shortbus" is to find a utpoia in today's society, whether it be through orgasm, partnership or the connection between the two. The film focuses on a young gay man named James, his married sex therapist Sofia and a domi-natrix named Severin. James is battling relationship and depression issues with his boyfriend Ja-mie. Sofia is a married sex therapist who is preorgasmic and is unable to have a real orgasm. Severin's lack of real communication begins wearing on her mind.
One step towards progress is found in the sex club Shortbus. There is rich idealism within the club and although Justin Bond dubs the period "like the sixties, only with less hope," there is hope be found. As James and Jamie search for the boy perfect for a threesome, Sofia is discover-ing herself as a sexual creature with the help of Severin.
In some way, each of the characters rhetorical inabilities leads them to disillusionment and depression. In the modern world, the journey for great communication keeps becoming more straining. Oscar-nominee "Babel" was a failed attempt to deal with worldwide communication problems. "Shortbus" limits itself to the United States on the scope of storytelling, but its ideals are further reaching and more successful than that of "Babel." What Mitchell portrays is an hon-est and real depiction of characters searching for something true, opposed to "Babel's" forced drama and stereotypical characters. By showing his characters in many different lights, Mitchell's portrayal becomes more endearing and striking to American sensibilities.
Mitchell's film has gained some notoriety as one of the few American filmmakers to use real sex. Mitchell is not using sexuality to be provocative, although his film certainly is that. In-stead, Mitchell uses sexuality as a storytelling device, to tell us something about our characters and showing us how sex can be used as a guise. Although everyone seeks to "get it in the end" as the musical finale of the film explains to us, there are variations of where achieving sexual gran-deur can leave someone. Each character comes to different conclusions about how to cope with their issues and how sex can be to achieve the partnership we all desire.
The first montage we see in the film is one where James performs felatio on himself and then begins to weep. At the same time, Sofia is having boisterous sex with her husband, prior to us learning that her orgasms are all fake. Later, James and Jamie have a menage a trois scene, which includes singing "The Star Spangled Banner" into a man's anus.
Even with a vast number of sexual scenes, the sex is never what stands out in "Shortbus." Mitchell blends elements of slapstick comedy and melodrama in creating an endearing human portrait of life in the 21st century.
Gay, straight, bi or trans-gendered, "Shortbus" exudes the dynamic need we have for the people around us. It is in finding ourselves and redefining who we are, as individuals and as a country, that we can make sure we all get it in the end.
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