IMDb > The Girlfriend Experience (2009)
The Girlfriend Experience
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Girlfriend Experience (2009) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 8 | slideshow) Videos (see all 11 NEW)
The Girlfriend Experience (2009) -- A drama set in the days leading up to the 2008 Presidential election, and centered on a high-end Manhattan call girl (Sasha Grey) meeting the challenges of her boyfriend, her clients, and her work.
The Girlfriend Experience (2009) -- Trailer for this film about a call girl
The Girlfriend Experience (2009) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)
The Girlfriend Experience (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
The Girlfriend Experience (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
5.9/10   3,447 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 26% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Steven Soderbergh
Writers (WGA):
David Levien (written by) &
Brian Koppelman (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Girlfriend Experience on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
8 July 2009 (France) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
See it with someone you ****
Plot:
A drama set in the days leading up to the 2008 Presidential election, and centered on a high-end Manhattan call girl meeting the challenges of her boyfriend, her clients, and her work. full summary | full synopsis
NewsDesk:
(249 articles)
Soderbergh defends porn star casting
 (From digitalspy. 30 October 2009, 3:52 AM, PDT)

The Girlfriend Experience
 (From t5m.com. 29 October 2009, 3:49 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
good more (48 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Sasha Grey ... Chelsea / Christine

Chris Santos ... Chris
Philip Eytan ... Phillip

T. Colby Trane ... Waiter
Peter Zizzo ... Zizzo

Ron Stein ... Vegas Buddy #1
Marshall Gilman ... Vegas Buddy #2
Michael Roberts ... Vegas Buddy #3
Vincent Dellacera ... Chelsea's Driver
Jim Kempner ... Art Gallery Owner
David Levien ... David
Mark Jacobson ... Interviewer
Alan Milstein ... Pete
Sukhdev Singh ... Super
Ted Jessup ... Chatty 'John'
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
GfE (USA) (festival title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for sexual content, nudity and language. (also VOD edition)
Runtime:
77 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | French
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital | DTS
Certification:
USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Singapore:M18
Filming Locations:
New York City, New York, USA

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Steven Soderbergh first heard about Sasha Grey when he read an article in Los Angeles magazine about her. more
Quotes:
Chelsea: I met with Phillipe on October 5th and 6th. I wore a Michael Kors dress and shoes with La Perla... I wore a Michael Kors dress and shoes with La Perla lingerie underneath. And diamond stud earrings. We met at 730 at the hotel, and had a drink downstairs... more
Movie Connections:
References The Opening of Misty Beethoven (1976) more
Soundtrack:
Hot Tub more

FAQ

Is "The Girlfriend Experience" based on a book?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
more
19 out of 28 people found the following comment useful.
good, 18 May 2009
7/10
Author: Yasunari_Kawabata from Shibuya

One of the first things that is always talked about concerning the movie is the casting of hardcore porn actress as the main protagonist. For the most part I think Sasha Grey made a good cinematic debut in 'The Girlfriend Experience' whereby she plays an escort of sorts, in a backdrop of the recession and the presidential candidacy. Soderbergh seems to be an eclectic film maker in the sense that he genuinely is trying to make interesting films, with the likes of the remake of Tarkovsky's Solaris, his epic biopic of Che Geuvera and Erin Brockovich. He has delved into the mainstream with the likes of Ocean's Eleven and it's sequel.

One of the facets which made 'The Girlfriend Experience' engaging was the manner in which it was filmed. The contemporary aesthetic and similarities to French New Wave, makes the film visually absorbing. In my mind attention to sensual lighting and framing is very reminiscent to the likes of Wong Kar Wai in exploring isolation and sensuality.

The performance from Sasha Grey as 'Chelsea' is understated and fits well with the nature of the film. There is no doubt that she is a beautiful woman, and I feel she has a level of competency that is promising for someone her age. She has a subtle delivery and a genuinity that is, even to my cynical eyes, quite surprising to see coming from someone from her background. Likewise the rest of the cast hold up to support the film adequately.

The main problem the film suffers from is the lack of an interesting script. I heard that Soderbergh only worked with a brief outline of a script, and crystallised a dialogue on the day of filming with input from cast and crew. This improvisational method might work for the likes of Wong Kar Wai, at times, but I am uncertain whether it has worked for Soderbergh. The dialogue seems to heavily centre around the economic recession. Naturally this serves to highlight the hypocrisy of the clients that Chelsea meets, as they pay thousands for a night with the protagonist and yet are anxious about their wealth and business. Mostly the discussions on economic wealth becomes a kind of rhetoric. It isn't intellectually illuminating or engaging in the the slightest. Adding to that, because it takes up so much screen time the characterisation of the protagonist, her boyfriend, and her clients suffer due to the flat lines that they are given.

A film of this calibre has most of the elements in the right place. From the cosmopolitan settings, the intimate cinematography and even the casting of Sasha Grey (despite general criticism). These elements function cohesively. Notably I believe the script needs a bit of work, and could even do with some rewrites from the likes of Richard Linklater or Woody Allen.

Overall an admirable 7/10

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (48 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Girlfriend Experience (2009)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
She was better in Buttman: Stretch Workout. Hlln334
Brilliant! A Masterpiece! artmcgee
The one thing about this movie... Lucas51
Ambidextrious 1negevoli
Texas Chainsaw Massacre zwot
Weak starkistuna
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Knocked Up Single White Female McCabe & Mrs. Miller Valentino Closer
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.