Blu-Ray Review: Steven Soderbergh’s Fascinating ‘The Girlfriend Experience’

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CHICAGO – Steven Soderbergh’s “The Girlfriend Experience” is a captivating, fascinating examination of the way we have turned every element of our lives into a business transaction. With “Che,” “The Informant!,” and this fantastic drama, Soderbergh is continuing to make the case that he is one of the most important American filmmakers working today.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

“The Girlfriend Experience” opens with a casual night that could be from any romantic drama - a nice dinner, a trip to the movies, a few glasses of wine, some petting on the couch, and some sex. All of it is punctuated by light, easy-going conversation from the jaw-dropping Chelsea (Sasha Grey, giving one of the best performances of the year). But this is not a typical date. This is “the girlfriend experience”. Chelsea is getting paid. But not in a “Leaving Las Vegas” or even “Pretty Woman” way. It’s exactly what the name sells - a night like you would have if this stunning woman happened to be your girlfriend.

The Girlfriend Experience was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 29th, 2009.
Photo credit: Magnolia Home Video

The fact is that people are looking for more than someone to bump uglies with in the modern world. And people who can afford it are always going to look for the easiest way to get what it is they truly seek. People want someone to have dinner with, to talk about movies, and even to discuss the economy. Sex is an important part of the transaction, but anyone can pay for sex. Only the super-rich can pay for something more fulfilling.

The Girlfriend Experience was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 29th, 2009. Photo credit: Magnolia Home Video

In the opening scenes, Soderbergh cuts back and forth between Chelsea and a personal trainer named Chris (Chris Santos), who we learn is actually in a relationship with our heroine. Or is he? Even though he knows what she does, there seems to be a subtle commentary that Chris and Chelsea are really just living a more elaborate version of the girlfriend experience.

Even their jobs are similar. Chris negotiates with a client for a package deal of training sessions and the parallel between what he does and what Chelsea does is clear. They both make people feel better through physical exertion. Chris provides the perfect body and Chelsea provides the perfect girlfriend. They’re just trying to provide a service in increasingly difficult economic times.

But even that makes “The Girlfriend Experience” sound more cut-and-dry and easy to interpret than it actually plays. This is not easy filmmaking. This is Soderbergh asking questions as a filmmaker about the interplay between relationships and business in the modern era. It’s a film with more questions than answers. After a brief 78 minutes, Soderbergh has given you something to digest and think about, not something easily moralistic or emotionally satisfying.

“The Girlfriend Experience” was shot on digital video with almost entirely unbroken takes and the film looks amazingly refined in HD. The use of color and light has been well-transferred to Blu-Ray and the audio, in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, matches it. Special features include an unrated alternate cut, a commentary by Soderbergh and Grey, and “HDNet: A Look at The Girlfriend Experience”.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com