Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- sex positive
- melancholic
- arthouse movie night
- adult date night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the explicit sex integrated into a sweet, witty, emotionally generous ensemble portrait, while noting thin characterization and soapy plotting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sophia, Rob, James, Jamie, Ceth, Caleb, and Severin receive intersecting storylines linked by Shortbus.
Sexual acts and nudity directly express the characters' efforts to connect, heal, and understand themselves.
Shortbus becomes a recurring gathering place for characters negotiating monogamy, desire, identity, and belonging.
The film connects apartments, therapy rooms, streets, and the club into a candid portrait of New York relationships.
Films like Shortbus, and why
La Ronde
explicit sexuality, interwoven romantic encounters, and bittersweet wit organized around urban relationships
The Dreamers
sexually candid relationship drama balancing erotic provocation with melancholy humor and emotional tenderness
Weekend
ensemble portrait of New York intimacy, queer relationships, and candid sexual self-discovery
The Pillow Book
provocative erotic drama using sex, identity, and unconventional relationships to explore emotional connection
Movie Details
- Director
- John Cameron Mitchell
- Release Date
- 2006-10-04
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (608)
Cast
- Sook-Yin Lee
- Paul Dawson
- PJ DeBoy
- Lindsay Beamish
- Jay Brannan
- Raphael Barker
- Adam Hardman
- Peter Stickles
- Alan Mandell
- Stephen Kent Jusick
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Night Flight Plus, OVID
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Shortbus about?
- A candid, sex-positive New York ensemble drama finds humor, vulnerability, and healing in the tangled intimate lives gathered around an underground club.
- What is Shortbus like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Shortbus as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Shortbus violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Shortbus as mild.
- What did critics think of Shortbus?
- Critics broadly found the explicit sex integrated into a sweet, witty, emotionally generous ensemble portrait, while noting thin characterization and soapy plotting.
- Which films are like Shortbus?
- Films with a similar feel include La Ronde, The Dreamers, Weekend, and The Pillow Book.
- How long is Shortbus?
- Shortbus runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch Shortbus?
- In United States, Shortbus streams on Philo, Night Flight Plus, OVID.
