Australian Penthouse

THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE
Director:  Steven Soderbergh
Stars: Sasha Grey, Chris Santos
ICON

Review:  Cameron Murray

YOU have to admire Steven Soderbergh for trying something different with The Girlfriend Experience.  It’s not often an Oscar-winning director (he picked up a gold statue for 2000’s Traffic) bucks the Hollywood system and goes low-budget just for the sake of experimentation.

Set in New York in the weeks leading up to the 2008 US presidential election, the movie revolves around a high-class hooker named ‘Chelsea’ (Grey) who prides herself on providing more than just sex, whether it be dinner and a movie or just an honest conversation.  Money and greed are central themes—Chelsea is looking at ways of increasing her business, her boyfriend wants more cash as a personal trainer, and her wealthy clients are worried about losing the lot in the looming Global Financial Crisis.

Soderbergh took a risk in casting porn star Sasha Grey as the film’s heroine, but she delivers an understated and beguiling performance as the confused call girl.

Although short at 74 minutes, The Girlfriend Experience effectively captures an uncertain moment in time. Unfortunately, there are no extras on the DVD, which is disappointing. An interview with Soderbergh and Grey would have been appreciated.