I love entering a movie knowing little or nothing about it. I had seen a review of ShortBus in another unnamed local paper but had avoided reading it, knowing I would soon be writing a review myself. Of course tidbits got through as I told friends and family why I would be busy on Sunday evening. My mum had read about it. She said it was actually very graphic from what she’d heard. A few others told me it was about sex ‘but not’. I knew it starred Sook-Yin Lee, a prominent Canadian media icon…for those of you who had a television growing up (I didn’t) she was a VJ on MuchMusic. Other than that my knowledge on the film was limited and I entered it expecting pretty much anything.
It opens in New York with amazing cinematography of the Statue of Liberty. As it pans out you might notice something a bit off about the background and then you realize…it’s all made of clay. This clay backdrop is used throughout the film and adds a delightfully whimsical feel to the story and its characters. Using interconnectivity, we are introduced to the explicit content and key players in the first few moments. Lee plays a sex therapist, who prefers being called a ‘couples therapist’, and has yet to experience an orgasm. Indeed, this is a comedy but not your average comedy. While many would say it’s about sex, I’d say it’s about relationships. It’s about the relationship we have with our sexual selves.
The cast works together smoothly and the characters, though possibly a little over the top sometimes, are all completely believable. ShortBus itself is a club that allows you to deviate from a black and white world into something far more rich and beautiful. I wish such a club truly existed because the colourful patrons and enriched atmosphere is exactly what I seek in day to day life. It could be construed as a sex club, but truly it is much, much more. There is philosophy, games, music and dancing and a sense of freedom, which Lee’s character sees as an opportunity to find that Big O. This, of course is the key quest of the film, but not the only story. In a movie set in New York, how could you possibly have a single story to follow? The cast includes the Jamie’s, an adorable queer couple of guys, a dominatrix, Lee’s husband, and the satellite characters attached to each of them. Oh, and for any L-Word fans, Daniela Sea also plays a bit part, along with her partner Bitch, who adds her musical talents to the mix.
So, what is it about, exactly? Specifically? I suppose we live in an uptight world that has lost sight of what it means to be human. We are all so different, and so is the way in which we experience day to day life. The director, John Cameron Mitchell, was trying to demystify sex and to pull us out of our shells. Sex isn’t just about procreation (as many of us know very well) and relationships aren’t just about communication with words. We can’t expect to have a relationship with another human being until we have some sort of decent relationship with ourselves. The diversity of characters allows us to see how we close ourselves off from those around us, even those who love us more than we feel we deserve. If this film provides anything, let it provide a sense of self worth and self-discovery. Reflect on who you are and how you feel about your place in the world…and then get out your favorite toy or sleeve, lube up your favorite hand, and enjoy some me time.
ShortBus the Movie
Now Playing in Calgary and Edmonton
www.thinkfilmcompany.com
