Review of Behind the Candelabra (2013) by Zack B — 02 Dec 2013

The two lead performances are out-of-this-world good. Matt Damon's restraint and genuine capacity to provoke sympathy in the struggles of his character was one of the most subtle performances ever given and it amazed me.

It never crossed my mind that I was watching Matt Damon. And of course the same could easily be said for Michael Douglas whose performance is one of those rare dynamite performances that result in lowered jaws and incredulous looks.

It's a complete transformation on par with Philip Seymour Hoffman's in Capote or Charlize Theron's in Monster. Aside from the acting, Soderbergh directs with his usual precision, framing shots in just such a way as to make us feel a part of the action, even if the action is a hot-tub confession.

The script does not rely heavily on quirks and gimmicks that draw attention to the historicity of the events, but rather focuses on Liberace and Scott Thorson's bizarre, intensely multipurpose relationship.