"Not bad for an old bag huh?"; quotes Michael Douglas during his introduction to Matt Damon's young, star struck Scott Thorson. Despite the actor's struggle with throat cancer in recent years, this film quite clearly showcases that Douglas is anything but an old has been, something that major Hollywood stars can sometimes slip into after a long and glittering career like Douglas's. Douglas owns this film in his performance as the enigmatic "Mr Showmanship", Liberace, revealing a side of the legendary man who epitomises the glitz and glamour of show business. Through the revelations of Thorson's memoirs (which make up the basis of the film), some of the darker trappings of the celebrity life, such as the never-ending quest for privacy from the prying eyes of the public is also shown.
As it turns out, Liberace had a lot to want to keep private, and Douglas brings these behind-closed-doors trappings of the character to life with buckets of charisma, enthusiasm and seductive persuasion. He lures the young and naive Thorson into his world only to ultimately turn on him and cast him aside. Damon takes a backseat for most of Behind the Candelabra, but still performs solidly as the earnest, devoted and totally delusional lover, who sees his own life warped into a twisted orgy of sex, plastic surgery, and drug addiction. Another compelling element of the film is the love affair between the very young Thorson (aged just 17 when he first met Liberace), and the ageing Liberace (then 57). The dream team of Douglas and Damon sparkle together and turn what, on the surface, may be viewed as a very sordid and scandalous affair, into an emotionally engaging and practically functional, genuine relationship. The chemistry between the two appears warm and affectionate, without ever becoming too sleazy and spoiling what can be seen as a genuine insight into not only a real relationship, but one which gives insights into the practicalities of living-in with one's partner and the difficulties that any couple (irrelevant of sex) might face in this age, or the next.
Aside from its two outstanding leading men, there is solid support from Dan Akroyd as Lee's long serving and watchful manager, and Debbie Reynolds playing his sharp, disapproving Mother, but both are not given much more to do with their performances than to fill out the ranks. Rob Lowe steals most of the laughs as the potentially deranged (and somewhat disfigured by his own experiments) plastic surgeon brought in by Lee to do some work on Thorson. Lowe's humour and fun playing the character is infectious, and apparently he underwent training to perform actual surgery on extremely life-like fake bodies of Douglas and Damon.
Steven Soderbergh's attention to detail in recreating the wonderful lavishness of Lee's opulent lifestyle is highly commendable. The diamonds, the gold signet rings, the portraits, the marble floors, the outrageous costumes and stage entrances all echo an emperor Nero-like extravagance and excess which serves as a reminder that Lee is a larger-than-life figure, although we see him stripped of most of this thanks to the focus on his relationship within his home, with his young lover. The film is beautifully shot to boot, with Peter Andrews incorporating a similar, grainy look to the film's more mundane scenes, before switching to brightly lit and dazzling show pieces, as was seen in last year's equally extravagant Magic Mike.
Tonally, the film may confuse some with its fusion of biopic and black comedy. It works tremendously well as a look at the darker side of celebrity, and an exposé on the life of one of entertainment's most extravagant stars. And yet, it is a very odd film in choosing to focus solely on this part of Liberace, and not being able to widen its perspective and go deeper into the routes of the man's life. A lot of the humour in it as well comes from the awkwardness of Damon's Thorson entering into this heavily sexualised world where he is not immediately comfortable, but this awkwardness can sometimes fall completely flat and be just plain awkward and unfunny at times.
Behind The Candelabra is a film which will definitely not be everyone's cup of tea. It's a bizarre, challenging, and outrageous take on celebrity, but is also a factually driven account of a man who epitomised celebrity, and a touching look at the battle he faced to hold on to his façade at the expense of his personal and romantic life. The fantastic performances of Douglas and Damon is what makes the film worth watching, with their passionate (albeit brief) romance lending the film what it needs to be an emotionally gripping and solid drama. Providing you can get on board with the subject matter, you will not be disappointed by what is certainly Douglas's best performance in recent years.
Clapperboard Rating: * * * *
Aside from its two outstanding leading men, there is solid support from Dan Akroyd as Lee's long serving and watchful manager, and Debbie Reynolds playing his sharp, disapproving Mother, but both are not given much more to do with their performances than to fill out the ranks. Rob Lowe steals most of the laughs as the potentially deranged (and somewhat disfigured by his own experiments) plastic surgeon brought in by Lee to do some work on Thorson. Lowe's humour and fun playing the character is infectious, and apparently he underwent training to perform actual surgery on extremely life-like fake bodies of Douglas and Damon.
Steven Soderbergh's attention to detail in recreating the wonderful lavishness of Lee's opulent lifestyle is highly commendable. The diamonds, the gold signet rings, the portraits, the marble floors, the outrageous costumes and stage entrances all echo an emperor Nero-like extravagance and excess which serves as a reminder that Lee is a larger-than-life figure, although we see him stripped of most of this thanks to the focus on his relationship within his home, with his young lover. The film is beautifully shot to boot, with Peter Andrews incorporating a similar, grainy look to the film's more mundane scenes, before switching to brightly lit and dazzling show pieces, as was seen in last year's equally extravagant Magic Mike.
Tonally, the film may confuse some with its fusion of biopic and black comedy. It works tremendously well as a look at the darker side of celebrity, and an exposé on the life of one of entertainment's most extravagant stars. And yet, it is a very odd film in choosing to focus solely on this part of Liberace, and not being able to widen its perspective and go deeper into the routes of the man's life. A lot of the humour in it as well comes from the awkwardness of Damon's Thorson entering into this heavily sexualised world where he is not immediately comfortable, but this awkwardness can sometimes fall completely flat and be just plain awkward and unfunny at times.
Behind The Candelabra is a film which will definitely not be everyone's cup of tea. It's a bizarre, challenging, and outrageous take on celebrity, but is also a factually driven account of a man who epitomised celebrity, and a touching look at the battle he faced to hold on to his façade at the expense of his personal and romantic life. The fantastic performances of Douglas and Damon is what makes the film worth watching, with their passionate (albeit brief) romance lending the film what it needs to be an emotionally gripping and solid drama. Providing you can get on board with the subject matter, you will not be disappointed by what is certainly Douglas's best performance in recent years.
Clapperboard Rating: * * * *
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