Overview
A lavish romance unfolds in the world of fame and excess, where love and identity collide.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- glamorous
- witty
- intimate
- character drama night
- lgbtq+ cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an affectionate yet honest portrait of celebrity loneliness, anchored by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon's performances and Steven Soderbergh's stylish direction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Liberace's public persona and private relationship with Scott continually collide, making fame central to their bond.
Scott is absorbed into Liberace's luxurious world, isolated from others, and subjected to changes demanded by his lover.
Liberace remains deeply closeted while Scott's relationship with him is kept outside the public world.
Las Vegas spectacle, lavish interiors, flamboyant costumes, and extreme makeovers define the film's visual world.
Films like Behind the Candelabra, and why
Carol
shared lgbtq+ romance, celebrity culture, closeted identity, and bittersweet character drama
A Single Man
shared biographical drama, intimate same-sex relationship, repression, and high-caliber lead performances
The Last of Sheila
shared flamboyant celebrity milieu, romantic obsession, emotional dependency, and tragic glamour
My Policeman
shared true-story relationship drama, unequal power dynamics, sexual secrecy, and melancholic tone
Movie Details
- Director
- Steven Soderbergh
- Release Date
- 2013-05-26
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (851)
Cast
- Michael Douglas
- Matt Damon
- Dan Aykroyd
- Scott Bakula
- Rob Lowe
- Tom Papa
- Paul Reiser
- Bruce Ramsay
- Nicky Katt
- Cheyenne Jackson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Behind the Candelabra about?
- A young man's intoxicating romance with Liberace becomes a gilded struggle for identity, autonomy, and recognition.
- What is Behind the Candelabra like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Behind the Candelabra as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Behind the Candelabra violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Behind the Candelabra as mild.
- What did critics think of Behind the Candelabra?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an affectionate yet honest portrait of celebrity loneliness, anchored by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon's performances and Steven Soderbergh's stylish direction.
- Which films are like Behind the Candelabra?
- Films with a similar feel include Carol, A Single Man, The Last of Sheila, and My Policeman.
- How long is Behind the Candelabra?
- Behind the Candelabra runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Behind the Candelabra?
- In United States, Behind the Candelabra streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
