Behind The Candelabra Review

• 25th Sep 2013

The apparent swan-song of Steven Soderbergh’s theatrical career tells the true life tale of Liberace (Michael Douglas) at the height of his fame in the 70’s when he met his young lover Scott Thorson (Matt Damon). Naturally for the time the sexual nature of their relationship was rather taboo, but the film has fun with the knowing nature of this from today’s audience perspective.

Douglas is a revelation in the more showy and louder role as Liberace; But to be honest the focus of the film is mainly on Damon, and he quietly steals a lot of the running time as the drama sees the couple meet, become attached at the hip and then very quickly melt in the very surroundings and social climate they are both so attracted to.

The focus on how celebrity and money ca change a person (emotionally as well as physically) never ceases to amaze. And Soderbergh watches it all happen through his lens without losing ay sense of humour or dramatic fusion between the leads.

If this is the film Soderbergh goes out on then it is certainly not a low by any means. And much like the rest of his back catalogue, it was a very unpredictable one to go out on.

Steven Hurst