What an unexpectedly pleasing, touching movie.
When I first heard Michael Douglas had been cast as arch showman Liberace (someone I remember on TV from my youth) I thought what inspired casting it was. What I didn`t suspect was just how moving and believable an impression of the man he would give.
Liberace was as camp as they come, and a very closeted gay man in an America not quite ready to embrace such a concept, particularly someone whose persona was that of an unthreatening, cosy, mildly outrageous middle-of-the-road entertainer. Things evidently haven`t come that far, as director Steven Soderbergh couldn`t get funding from the studios for a feature film (too overtly gay, apparently!) so his project became a TV movie, though you`d never know it, such is the lustre of the finished film he managed to make, despite the puerile queasiness of American sensibilities even now.
What is so effective about Douglas`s considered performance is that, rather than overplay his hand, making an already flamboyant, often flippant man into a vapid caricature - which is what I`d feared - he in fact underplays, to great effect, leaving the script, sets, costumes - oh, the costumes! - to go OTT, while he allows us to see the real man `behind the candelabra`. It`s an intelligent decision, which repays great dividends.
I`ve rarely seen Douglas so relaxed in a role. Like his dad, he`s quite an intense actor, and can be a showy one, so the fact that he reins it in here is to be applauded.
Matt Damon, as his younger lover Scott Thorson, on whose memoir the film is based, is a revelation. We are used to seeing Damon in buttoned-up, self-contained, rather unsmiling roles - from Ripley to Bourne - but here he lets rip, and then some! With long floppy hair and a bod in disgustingly fine fettle, he plays the part with exactly the right combination of youthful brio and wounded innocence. He can be a witty actor, and he uses his propensity for dry wit here, though mostly he is either wide-eyed, drugged up, or livid at the latest example of his lover-daddy`s perceived selfishness. It`s a bravura piece of acting from this invariably superb actor.
Rob Lowe...well, what can I say? Inspirational casting, once more. He plays a droopy-eyed plastic surgeon with dodgy teeth, and seems to be permanently either stoned or in some otherwise beatific state. It is one of the oddest performances in a film I`ve seen for some time, and I`m undecided whether Lowe should be proud or thoroughly ashamed of himself. (On balance, proud.)
Dan Aykroyd is barely recognisable as Liberace`s long-suffering manager, and turns in a terrific, credible performance, while none other than Debbie Reynolds is completely unrecognisable as Liberace`s mother: Mrs Liberace, for that was indeed his real surname.
By the end it would take a hard heart not to be moved, and I was, both by Liberace and his lonely, sad demise, and by Douglas`s performance.
I wouldn`t go so far as to call this a great movie, but it`s so much better than anyone had any right to expect it to be.
An appropriate quote (surprisingly not used in the film) from the man himself:

`Gee, you`ve been such a wonderful audience that I don`t like to take your money. But I will!`

Classy. Like this movie. Read more ›

It's hard to imagine super-spy Jason Bourne in a sparkly thong, throwing a hissy-fit at his older male lover. Perhaps that's why Matt Damon's performance has got him quite a lot of praise for his portrayal of the young man (Scott Thorson) who lived (and loved) Hollywood icon Liberace.
Michael Douglas too is on fine form as the man himself, displaying the voice and the mannerisms of the flamboyant entertainer to a tee.

It's a `rise and fall' tale of love that was probably doomed from the start. It's based on the `kiss and tell' book that Thorson wrote once Liberace had died, so we only have his word on it that this is the `truth.' But, truth or not, it's an entertaining piece of tragic drama that allows both him and Douglas to put in some stellar performances.

It probably isn't for everyone. If you look at internet message boards, you'll see a fair few people who found it `overly gay' in subject matter. However, if that sort of thing offends you, you really shouldn't even be considering watching a semi-biopic about a gay couple's life.

Lets get one thing clear, this film is not a biography of Liberace. So many people are praising this film and getting the idea that it is about Liberace. But it isn't. Instead we get a film about Scott Thorson, a man younger than Liberace who had a ten year affair with Liberace. The whole story is just his opinion of what happened while he was with Liberace.
The film has had much praise and I admit that it does make a reasonably good film. There is a great story for an original film and there is excellent direction and editing. However I have much to moan about.
Michael Douglas plays Liberace. He has been praised highly for his performance. And yes he is ok in a difficult role. But anyone old enough to remember Liberace knows that Douglas doesn't actually carry the same charisma as Liberace. He doesn't look much like Liberace either. In fact apart from the costumes, wigs and over exaggerated impression, he is nothing like Liberace at all. If you have seen the movie already and don't agree then maybe you could go and look at some old clips of the real Liberace on Youtube and see what I mean. Actually if you haven't seen the film why not compare clips of Douglas and Liberace. It is hard to see why Liberace was so well liked via the interpretation by Douglas. Like it or not, Liberace had unique trademarks that earned him the title Mr Show business. Liberace had a great talent as a piano player and was more than just sex mad gay bad guy.

Secondly the story relies on how close Thorson was to Liberace in his gay relationship with him. This is essential to show how Thorson felt after being in a relationship then controlled and abandoned by Liberace However this leaves us concentrating attention on not only the fact that Liberace was gay but that his whole life was just one explicit and sordid gay sex existence.

So I would have to say that if you just want to see a film about Thorson's time with Liberace and how he felt hurt then this is fine.
But if you are more interested in the life of Liberace don't bother with this film.

Liberace was gay, so what? Maybe he did some of the negative things to Thorson as he claims. We only have his word for it. And if it is true then I have empathy. The constant swearing and explicit reminders that Liberace was gay and kept it secret from the public (even though everyone suspected it anyway) became tiresome after ten minutes into the movie. Thorson and Liberace had a gay relationship.....yeah yeah......Liberace was gay........yeah yeah.....Liberace had a gay affair with other men apart from Thorson......Yeah got that......Liberace tried to make Thorson to look like his son so he could keep the fact he was gay a secret.....yeah got that too. (yes I know it is about Thorson and his bad experience but the fact they were both gay and the issues of Liberace negatives were over laboured)
If you are a fan of Liberace you will find little of the good points or greatness in this film. My point is that obviously it is a bit one sided. I would have preferred a bit more balance.

The film is worth a look but not as great as it is made out to be. Read more ›

As others have said, there is something very good about the tone Steven Soderbergh achieves in this film. The first part is particularly enjoyable, I felt, when the effect of the costumes and general flamboyancy matched the upbeat story of Liberace meeting Scott Thorson, the young man who would become his lover and general all-round assistant. As things go on and cracks begin to appear in the relationship, it is less entertaining, but always interesting, and even when things are desperate it never becomes hollow, with Scott's 'bad behaviour' always kept within the limits of his character - this is a man who, however hurt, can only go so far in the direction of unpleasantness. The way this is kept in view even at the most hysterical moments is very well handled. Michael Douglas is excellent and gives a brave performance as Liberace, making the showman appear human but not glossing over the less good sides of his personality. He has the necessary charisma to make him a magnet to the camera, not just by his clothes, in fact he is never upstaged by them! But for me the film gets its heart from the Matt Damon role. I thought he brought this rather lost character stunningly to life, and the film fills us in very well on his foster home background, his naivety and his neediness. Towards the end you are wondering whether he has been more loved or abused in the relationship, where in other hands it might unquestionably seem the latter, but this is related to the essential goodness of this man. Furthermore Damon is so lovely in the opening part of the film, I was reminded of how perfect his looks really are, and here he is quite beefed up. To see Damon in this role is quite something! Then he undergoes facelifts at the wishes of Liberace, who wants to make him look more like himself - shades of Vertigo with a new twist - and his problems start at this point - not that hard to understand, really. As a balancing act between these two men and these various other poles - not least of which is the intimate feel the whole thing has in spite of the onstage part and the larger-than-life persona, the film really succeeds very well. Read more ›