SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE directed by Steven Soderberg (USA, 1989)
“All life is sex. All sex is competition”. James Spader’s line comes from a cameo appearance the US sitcom The Office but could easily stand as a tagline for his captivating lead performance as Graham Dalton in Sex, Lies And Videotape.
This independent movie had a huge impact when it was first released and watching it again , almost three decades on, I was struck about how it still holds up for its bravery, integrity and originality.
The themes of sexuality, fidelity and gender politics remain as relevant now as they did in 1989. Indeed, these issues are arguably even more significant in the wake of the plethora of #metoo related stories and Trump’s brazen capacity for lying. Digital technology would now replace videotape but everything else about the story rings true.
The film deals with the notoriously delicate topic of sex with a liberating degree of frankness and maturity. This is all the more remarkable given that Soderberg was only 26 when he wrote and directed it. He’s made some decent movies since but the audacity and boldness of youth still makes his debut his best work.
Significantly, there are no explicit sex scenes. Soderbach’s stated aim was that of challenging mainstream audiences with ideas rather than with nudity.
“Let’s make a video” – James Spader as Graham Dalton
Andie MacDowell proves that she is more than a pretty face and a revelation when compared to her appearances in frothy rom-coms like Four Weddings And A Funeral or Green Card. Peter Gallagher as her cheating husband and Laura San Giacomo as her precocious sister are also excellent but it is Spader that makes the movie so outstanding.
But for his good looks and gentleness, his character could easily be viewed as a creepy stalker prying into the lives of vulnerable women. As it is, the manner in which he coaxes females to discuss intimate details is entirely credible and, moreover, it’s easy to imagine why he might be perceived as a perfect sex therapist. He is open about his impotency, a state that means that he becomes both unthreatening yet paradoxically more attractive.
Sex, Lies & Videotape remains a prime example of popular cinema’s capacity to deal with adult themes in an adult manner. It’s only a pity that, having shown what is possible, its example hasn’t been followed more widely.
