sex, lies, and videotape
A sexually candid outsider unsettles a polished Louisiana marriage, forcing hidden affairs and private desires into the open.
Overview
A compelling exploration of desire and deception unfolds in a seemingly perfect marriage.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- intimate
- provocative
- witty
- thoughtful movie night
- adult drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Steven Soderbergh's assured debut, sharp writing, emotionally charged performances, and influential treatment of sexuality and intimacy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
John's affair with Cynthia and the supposedly perfect marriage conceal desires and deceptions that Graham's arrival exposes.
Graham's videotaped interviews with women become the film's distinctive mechanism for revealing sexual feelings and personal candor.
The film emphasizes apartments, offices, bars, and therapy sessions with understated staging that keeps attention on dialogue and behavior.
Graham's return to John's life profoundly affects John, Ann, and Cynthia by challenging their evasions and assumptions.
Films like sex, lies, and videotape, and why
The Ice Storm
intimate relationship drama examining marital infidelity, emotional repression, and sexual honesty through restrained performances
Unfaithful
adult relationship drama focused on infidelity, desire, and the corrosive gap between outward respectability and private dissatisfaction
The Piano Teacher
minimalist character-driven drama about sexual alienation, emotional disclosure, and unconventional intimacy
Movie Details
- Director
- Steven Soderbergh
- Release Date
- 1989-08-04
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (1086)
Cast
- James Spader
- Andie MacDowell
- Peter Gallagher
- Laura San Giacomo
- Ron Vawter
- Steven Brill
- Alexandra Root
- Earl T. Taylor
- David Foil
Where to watch in United States
- 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 sex, lies, and videotape about?
- A sexually candid outsider unsettles a polished Louisiana marriage, forcing hidden affairs and private desires into the open.
- What is sex, lies, and videotape like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of sex, lies, and videotape as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is sex, lies, and videotape violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in sex, lies, and videotape.
- What did critics think of sex, lies, and videotape?
- Critics broadly praised Steven Soderbergh's assured debut, sharp writing, emotionally charged performances, and influential treatment of sexuality and intimacy.
- Which films are like sex, lies, and videotape?
- Films with a similar feel include The Ice Storm, Unfaithful, and The Piano Teacher.
- How long is sex, lies, and videotape?
- sex, lies, and videotape runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch sex, lies, and videotape?
- In United States, sex, lies, and videotape is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
