The Girlfriend Experience – Review

There are three reasons why you should see The Girlfriend Experience, the new Steven Soderbergh film, about a high-end escort girl and how she makes a living while the economy is about to collapse globally. It has that balance of a film mixed with a pseudo-documentary look, that captures non-actors in roles how they are in real life, and their conversations. The film tackles some pretty intriguing dualities in these characters, and it’s a film that can be a perfect water cooler subject. As a happy accident, the film was shot in October 2008, with our economy souring and an important election around the corner, Soderbergh’s willingness to allow on-the-spot improvisation luckily adds to the theme of the film. Right off the bat here, I’m telling you this is a good film, but I want to get to my three reasons of why you see this film.The first reason, and the most obvious, is it’s a new Steven Soderbergh film, another little HDNet film he’s done as part of his agreement with Mark Cuban‘s company. Much like Bubble, it’s an experiment. Say what you will about his Ocean’s 11 films or his mega-popular Erin Brockovich, the Soderbergh I like is the one that isn’t afraid of trying something new. Whether it’s The Third Man-inspired The Good German, the industry changing Bubble, the historical epic Che, Soderbergh isn’t afraid to do something new or take some familiar and put a creative spin on it. Despite flaws, these films are refreshing when compared to the safe Hollywood drivel we’re getting now days. His ability to adapt to the film’s surroundings and the budget, are at least allowing him to play around. Who would want to see a talented director playing around? He’s not afraid to take a chance, a word too easily side-stepped, especially with producers scared during this current economic climate.

Ah, yes, the economy. Another reason to see The Girlfriend Experience, is its ability to be timely. I’m eager to revisit this film years down the road. Like I mentioned earlier, Soderbergh allowed his non-actors to talk freely about whatever they wish since this is what most of these men want from the escort, or the affectionately named GFE (girlfriend experience). The timing of the film couldn’t have been better, since the election and more importantly, the economy was on everyone’s mind. We are all mini-capitalists, and the fact that while everyone is complaining about their jobs, money, its the fact that they are still willing to pay the escort for her GFE, is an interesting duality that film got by a lucky accident. Every thing’s changing; the stock market, prostitution, and the economy, our lives, but it’s interesting to see how, with the money constraints, Chelsea (the escort played by Sasha Grey) is upping her game by getting into having a website, buying certain clothes, and competing with other escorts. Her clients, despite whatever they’re complaining about, still pay her for her services. I found this upper clientèle she has to be somewhat of a mirror for today. We’re not about to give up out luxuries, are we? It’s timely filming that just might have documented a crisis on the verge that will in years to come, be just as deep and rich, as it seems now.

My final reason to see The Girlfriend Experience is Sasha Grey. She is what we needed from the film, and what the film needed for itself. Her character is played a bit cool, a bit dissociative, but it works perfectly for the film. Her front is explored, but in one scene towards the end, when it cracks, we finally see depth of her character. The film is solely focused on her, even when it takes a time out to follow her boyfriend-err, roommate, that he himself is selling a service. The camera loves Sasha Grey, a beautiful girl who is very comfortable and smart. I think for the sake of the film and the character, her adult film past was important, but personally, I’m sick of hearing about it in reviews. Sasha Grey is damn good, never doing more than what’s asked of her for the role as an escort, and do we demand more, or is it our preconceived notions about the fact Ms. Grey is a porn star? I think its that, and its short-sightedness on our part. It really doesn’t affect us as the audience that she’s a porn star, it only added to her casting and for Soderbergh, not us as viewers. Sasha Grey is what the film needed, and anyone else in the role, might have sunk the film, as she’s our experience from The Girlfriend Experience.

Convinced?

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