Review of Girlfriend Experience (2008) by Aaron T — 03 Oct 2009

I was really quite overwhelmed at how much I loved this movie. It's a character story, in the vein of Taxi Driver and The Wrestler. Like those movies, it aims to capture glimpses of human nature in places you might not expect and in ways that seem unconventional. The script, the story, the characters, the performances, and especially the direction, all combined in one of the best ways I've seen so far this year. It really is a beautiful film.

The script is very efficient, and gives meaning and a driven purpose to every scene and every line of dialogue. The out-of-sequence writing of it was also a fantastic touch.

The performances are note-perfect. Especially Sasha Gray, making her silver screen debut. Her delivery and mannerisms are extremely calculated. Her character has to walk a fine line in this film in most scenes where she may be cold and distant, but then vulnerable; or she is interested in a client without being interested. It's a tough character to play and she pulls it off brilliantly. The other characters are all much more vulnerable than she is, and most of their time is spent reacting to her, and they are able to play off of her perfectly.

The direction was probably my favorite element. It goes back and forth between being close up and being distant. Some scenes are shot from further away and give you more of the feeling of an outsider-looking-in; and some scenes are shot in a much more personal and intimate way. I imagine it's directly designed to reflect the way Christine is treating whatever situation she's in, and it makes for an absolutely compelling visual experience.

This is easily one of the best films of the year.