Year: 2009
Running Time: 77 minutes
Rated: R
SRP: $34.99
Studio(s): Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 29, 2009

Film/Feature: A+

“If they wanted to be yourself, they wouldn’t be paying you.”

Adult film actress, Sasha Grey makes her debut in a straight film in The Girlfriend Experience, directed by Steven Soderbergh who has gone back to his independent roots, makes a film that puts the magnifying glass on his star, reminiscent of Sex, Lies, and Videotape. Soderbergh shot it chronologically and then went to the editing room to put his nonlinear spin on it. The result is an immersive little triumph, that’s both haunting and enchanting.

Grey plays an ultra-high priced Manhattan call girl named Chelsea, who charges $2,000 an hour, not just for sex, but for the complete “girlfriend experience”. She’ll go out on the town with you, run her fingers through your hair, listen to your problems; she’ll even discuss economic bailouts or the presidential election. She’s everything a man would want out of a girlfriend, and she won’t call you the next day. Chelsea’s so good, you’ll be convinced that you made a connection with her. But this isn’t about the sex, some young woman’s damaged past or the pursuit of money. No, this story delves into the psyche of a young woman playing high stakes with her life, who goes all in emotionally, following her heart. It’s a character study of who Chelsea really is, amongst all of the masks she wears.

Chelsea keeps a detailed diary of her clients, to takes notes on them to sell the drama that she knows them, understands them. Her heart and mind is guided with personology, a way to analyze and predict character traits and behavior based on physiognomy and facial features. She also takes into account horoscope, and birth dates. She makes the final decision on whether to accept a new client or let him pass and is in total control of her life.

Chris (Chris Santos) is Chelsea’s boyfriend, an athletic trainer, who puts on a facade with his clients to earn their trust, so that he can physically shape them into whatever they want. He accepts Chelsea’s line of work, is supportive and is confident enough to not let her job interfere with their relationship. The final story thread is a journalist who is writing a story or book about call girls, and interviews Chelsea to get to the bottom of who she is. He attempts to break down those walls she puts up, and ultimately from an outsider’s point of view, understand what is real and what’s fake in the girlfriend experience.

Everything begins to unravel or, in another sense, sets the critical events in motion when a seedy online escort critic asks for a freebie so that he can give her a positive review to drum up more business for her. He is vile, and makes no real effort to let the situation graduate, like every other man in her life. He wants to treat her like a street prostitute. For the sake of her business, she goes to work; but her act is met with a less than favorable review.

She breaks one of her personal rules to see a client who aligns with her personology charts and upon meeting him, she acts completely different. There is a noticeable change in Chelsea’s mannerisms and her body language. For the first time in the film, she’s smiling, and is asked if she would like to spend the weekend with him. If she agrees to this, this will be the second cardinal rule of hers she would break in the film, and would probably mean the end of her relationship with Chris, who despite all of her vices and maxims, is not supportive of her devotion to personology.

This becomes the critical point of the film. Does she break things off with Chris to pursue this other man? Through all of her ability to sell people on an ideal situation, is she unable to tell whether or not she is being sold a line of goods? How much trust does she put into personology? Clients, a journalist, a call girl critic, and Chris are all vying to get that girlfriend experience, ironically, none of them get it from her. What is the real girlfriend experience with Chelsea like?

Grey puts on a fine performance that’s convincing but also shows how much thought she put into Chelsea’s character. Methodically and gracefully, she shows us who she puts on the act for and who she really opens up to. It’s just a very vulnerable and awesome performance.

I loved this film and its puzzle format, which viewers do have to pay attention and “solve” as it goes along. If you don’t like having to be that invested into the viewing experience, or are normally unimpressed by small art films, then I recommend you move on. But if this does fall in your scope, then you’ll like GFE. There’s a soft, seductive quality to it, just dripping with the sweetness of candy and temptation, but leaves enough to the imagination. The world is glamourous, but not pretty. You want just a taste on your lips, but not enough to want to live it. The Girlfriend Experience is voyeurism at its finest; a slice-of-life film that’s the perfect portion size, with an extraordinary finish.

Sasha Grey as high priced call girl in The Girlfriend Experience

Video: A
All of Soderbergh’s shots look damn good in this high definition, 1080p VC-1 encoded transfer in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The carefully arranged shots of naturally lit, on-location sets reproduce in luscious fashion. There a soft, diffused glow to some scenes, intentionally captured in high definition by Soderbergh. He toggles between two styles comparing the worlds of Chelsea to Chris’ world. Chelsea’s is warm, fuzzy, colorful and lit in a way that’s found only being in high class chill out lounges and bars. Chris’ scenes all appear to be under florescent lights giving a pale, almost sickly appearance like a typical hospital vibe to them. There’s some black crush but again when it’s there, it’s intended to be. Colors are all reproduced, again impressively given the way the shots were lit and filmed. This is, an art film.

Chelsea and a Journalist talk shop

Audio: B+
The GFE has a 5.1 English DTS-HD audio track in what is essentially a dialogue-driven film. Atmospheric sounds like restaurant chatter and food being served can be picked out, but it’s not a film designed to give the viewer the ultimate audio experience. The few bright audio spots are mostly when there is a scene featuring live musicians whether it’s a street drummer or a pair of folk singers. Overall the audio does what it’s supposed to do, with no signs of weakness or notes of deficiency. There are no other audio selections and subtitles are available in English SDH and Spanish.

Extras: B-
The Audio Commentary by Steven Soderbergh and Sasha Grey is by far one of the best ones I’ve listened to all year. Soderbergh interviews Grey about her experience throughout the film, while occasionally dropping details about artistic choices made by him and Grey who brought her improvisations. Then he brings discussion points to compare Grey’s experience with the adult film industry and his film. Sasha’s time in high school theater and improve work is discussed as well as her time spent interviewing two escorts who shared their experiences, which would be the foundation of the film. Soderbergh’s talks about his approach at improvising, Greys’ reaction of the footage she wasn’t in and shooting in chronological order but how choices in editing created a completely different film.

Alternative Cut (76:33) – There’s not much here even though Soderbergh alludes to a completely different film created by editing in the commentary. There was some added footage here and there, but I was hoping for more varying angles based on what the commentary mentioned but sadly did not see a dramatic difference outside of a handful of scenes. I first saw this film on the HD Net channel when it premiered before hitting theaters and I do recall some different shots, including some other shots with Grey and her Johns, and perhaps that was what he was referring to, sadly though I don’t see any of those shots that I remember in either of the cuts on this blu-ray.

HDNet: A look at the Girlfriend Experience HD (4:37) is a brief EPK interview with Grey and Soderbergh about making this film. It’s almost nonessential if there was anything else to chew on the disc.

Trailers HD (7:03) shows previews for Magnolia Pictures films, Two Lovers, What Just Happened, and The Life Before Her Eyes.

Sasha working on The Girlfriend Experience.

Overall Shock Value: A
One can almost forget just how good Steven Soderbergh is at doing a slice-of-life story, because of the commercial appeal of the Ocean’s trilogy. It’s a bit unfair that people will rush out to see the Ocean films, which are enjoyable, but then not pay much mind to Bubble or this film. In the Girlfriend Experience, he just did the essentials in making an intimate, deliciously voyeuristic glance into a hidden, slightly scary world unbeknownst to our own. This film is just dripping with naturally lit and composed angles that create everlasting, supple shots that will be etched in my mind. For fans of Grey’s adult films looking for some high budgeted encore will likely be disappointed, unless they’re looking for an subtle and straight performance, or want to see her other tempting talents than those that have made her famous.