Shortbus

I seem to have a general theme of sexual perversity among many of the films I’ve seen and written about for this blog. Well, what fun would it be if such a wonderful theme were to come to an end? None at all, at least that’s what I say. So, today the fun continues, and it continues with one of the most brutally truthful, openly erotic narrative films I have ever seen. Shortbus, the newest film by John Cameron Mitchell of Hedwig and the Angry Inch fame, tells intertwining stories of the sexual lives of a number of New York residents. The story centers around main character so and so, perfectly troubled gay couple James and Jamie, and Shortbus, a sexual arthouse of sorts, home to a diverse collection of liberal New York’s finest and strangest.

So and so is at first a happily married sex therapist (though she adamantly prefers the term “couples counselor”) who has sadly never experienced an orgasm. After counseling James and Jamie, she begins to explore her sexuality when they invite her to Shortbus in an attempt to help her expand her sexual horizons. Her visit to Shortbus quickly opens her eyes to an extensive world of unabashed eroticism. James and Jamie, on the other hand, struggle to keep their relationship together as James, a former hustler, battles depression and has trouble letting Jamie past the shield of his skin.

Conservative critics complain of Shortbus’ raunchy subject matter and moreso of its “explicit,” real sex scenes (yes, I said real). Denouncing the film as pornographic, these people fail to realize that while the film is about being unashamed of a kind of spectrum sexuality, it is not necessarily specifically about the act of sex. Instead, to Mitchell’s credit, the film concentrates on the lives of its characters who constantly search for themselves, for love, and lastly for pleasure. It is not nearly as concerned with penetration and money shots as it is with human connections and interactions. Consistent subjective shots and tear-filled reaction close-ups work to connect the viewer with the film’s main characters as they dig inside themselves, searching for something they may not fully understand yet. Deeply touching and honest, Shortbus moves viewers while refusing to judge its characters and the decisions they make.