Behind The Candelabra

Director Steven Soderbergh has mentioned that he is giving up directing. But it seems he is just giving up cinema movies. While this film was intended for TV in the USA it is thankfully getting a cinema release in other parts of the world.
I remember even as a child thinking that Liberace was very gay. It amazes me that anyone would think of him otherwise. But somehow his fans did not think he was and even more amazingly he was able to convince a court when he sued a British newspaper. If Liberace was still around today I am positive that with the high level of media scrutiny on celebrities that he would never be able to convince people he was not gay. While he did have an excellent support team that managed to protect him, I'm sure that it would not have been enough today.
Steven Soderbergh is one of my all time favourite directors. His films cover a very wide range of topics and issues. He also makes different genres and styles. Which makes him the perfect choice to direct this film. Steven does not shy away from showing Liberace in all his glory. Including his gay glory. Older people will no doubt be very shocked by the film in its depiction of his gay life. Especially those who fell for the fact he was straight. We must understand that this film is about one of Liberace's lovers Scott Thornson and his view of their relationship. So we only see one side of this man. As expressed here in this film, Liberace is a very complex man who can on one side be very sweet and loving but also be shrewd and cunning. Like many men (gay and straight) he loves to surround himself with young lovers and the way he treats them can be seen as less than loving. But he's not the first man to do that. The film's production design and costume design is one of its major features. Liberace is well known for his flamboyant costumes and they are very much on display in the film. We also get to see the way he lived and some of the extravagant things he bought.
There have been many actors who have played real life characters to such an extent that you forget you are watching an actor play a role but that you are watching that real person. Michael Douglas does that with Liberace. At no time did I see Michael Douglas on the screen. I was convinced I was watching Liberace come to life. This is by far and away his best performance in a long time and proves he is still a brilliant actor. Equally as good is Matt Damon. Both men do things that you would not expect them to do and I really admire them for it. Matt does show himself off a bit more and he is more than up to the challenge. I was a little bit disappointed with Dan Aykroyd. Not so much his performance, which is excellent but just that he does not have very much to do. Rob Lowe puts in one of the funniest performances you will likely see this year. It may not be intentionally funny but he is hilarious and he does not even need to do much to have an effect. As Liberace's mother Debbie Reynolds is excellent in her small role.
This is not only the best film I saw at the Sydney Film festival but one of the best films I've seen so far this year. It's a shame the film was screened on TV as I'm sure there would have been many Oscars handed to it at next year's ceremony.