Review of Kinsey (2004) by To Deny A Passion Kills You Slowly — 26 May 2008

Writer and Director Bill Condon shows the triumphs and.

Struggles in the life of Alfred Kinsey, the sexual.

Research pioneer, in the biopic, â??Kinsey.â??

Condon, whoâ??s previous works include â??Gods and.

Monsters,â?? delivers a smart intelligent script,.

Showing Kinsey in a realistic light, showcasing both.

His flaws and attributes.

The direction is very sharp, emotions are shown with.

Brilliant subtlety and depth, and what could have been.

A story about scandal, or psychology, plays instead as.

A human journey.

Liam Neeson steps into the title role, giving a.

Stellar performance, as a man who made a life of.

Science, and transitions his work to sex, to help the.

Innumerable people so in the dark about the subject.

Laura Linney gives a subtle yet moving performance as.

Kinseyâ??s devoted wife.

Peter Sarsgaard plays Clyde Martin, Kinseyâ??s bisexual.

Young assistant, and member of his sexual research.

Team, who ends up having a brief sexual relationship.

With both Kinsey and his wife (separately). The.

Affairs were considered contributions to Kinseyâ??s.

Research.

John Lithgow plays the sexually oppressive preacher.

Once again, as Kinseyâ??s overbearing, and damaging.

Father.

Lynn Redgrave has a touching cameo as a lesbian in her.

Senior years who was only able to realize she was.

Normal and not alone through Kinseyâ??s published work,.

And be happy in a relationship finally.

â??Kinseyâ?? also includes a solid ensemble cast,.

Including Chris Oâ??Donnell, Tim Curry, and Oliver.

Platt.

The movie begins with Kinseyâ??s own sexual history.

Interview, and flashes back to his childhood, and how.

He met his wife. The arc shows how Kinsey went from.

Years of study on the Gall Wasp, to his transition.

Into sexual research.

The middle arc focuses on Kinseyâ??s successes, such as.

His wildly popular university course on sex and.

Marriage, and his book on sex and the male, which drew.

The same amount of media attention as the atom bomb.

The final arc shows Kinseyâ??s decline in support,.

Beginning around the time of the communist scare. His.

Book on the female gender was received as an affront,.

And all his funding was dropped.

The movie also makes mention of the measure named.

After Kinsey, â??The Kinsey Scaleâ??, displaying on a.

Scale that most people fall somewhere in between.

Heterosexual and homosexual, even if to a small.

Degree.

Kinseyâ??s research, though highly controversial, served.

A great purpose, and the film points out this.

Important fact.

Prior to Kinseyâ??s research, people had so many.

Misconceptions about sex and their bodies, sex was.

Usually confusing at the very least, if not.

Frightening.

Kinsey informed the public what was normal, what was.

Healthy, what was unusual, and despite accusation, did.

Not say anything goes.

He firmly believed nothing should be done without.

Consent by all parties involved, and even though he.

Interviewed pedophiles and rapists for his research,.

He did not support their actions.

The film carefully and realistically notes all these.

Points, showing both the social backlash at Kinsey for.

Those who did not understand his stance, and his.

Defense of himself and his best intentions.

â??Kinseyâ?? does have a lot of strong sexual content and.

Themes, and there is some full frontal nudity, as well.

As medical pictures of genitalia.

This movie is not for young children, or anyone easily.

Offended by the topic of sex, or â??unconventionalâ?? sex.

Practices. However, the whole point of Kinseyâ??s real.

Work was to inform, and make people comfortable and.

Unoffended by the naturalness of sex, so some.

Audiences might find a real education in the film.

Anyone who has taken a Human Sexuality class in the.

Last thirty years will already know most everything.

That is covered in the film, a sign in itself of the.

Significance of Kinseyâ??s work.

The film is done tastefully, and shows real history.

About a manâ??s scientific research and the way it.

Changed the nation.

The performances and direction are very strong, and.

The film succeeds in a fair portrait of a man who.

Agree or disagree with his methods, made a priceless.

Contribution to science and psychology.