The Girlfriend Experience (2009)

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writers (WGA):

David Levien (written by) &
Brian Koppelman (written by)

Release Date:

8 July 2009 (France)

Genre:

Drama

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.

Plot Keywords:

Client | Presidential Election | Call Girl | Economy | Personal Trainer

Cast

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	...	Chris & Chelsea's Super
Ted Jessup	...	Chatty 'John'
Stuart Levine	...	Sporting Goods Store President
Marvin Stein	...	Sporting Goods Store Vice President
Dennis Shields	...	Dennis
Steve Klapper	...	Web Designer
Glenn Kenny	...	The Erotic Connoisseur
Ben Finkelstein	...	Accountant
Michael Sugar	...	'Sugar'
Caitlin Lyon	...	Tara
Daniel Algrant	...	Dan (as Dan Algrant)
Kenny Blunt	...	Ken
Smokey West	...	Club H Gym Owner
William Holt	...	Hype Gym Owner
Adam Awaiz Yaqub	...	Phone Store Salesman
Christina Nadeau	...	Chelsea's Girlfriend
Timothy Davis	...	Tim
Deborah Fineman Bozik	...	Yoga Client
Jenel Stevens	...	Female Trainer
Howard I. Josephs	...	Furniture Store Owner
Shakerleg	...	Street Drummer
Galya Vidal	...	Chelsea's Trainer
Erika Parys	...	Monte Verde Receptionist
Ken Myers	...	Craftsteak Maitre D' (as Kenneth Myers)
Elon Dershowitz	...	Jewelry Store Owner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brooke Aldrich	...	Diner Patron (uncredited)
George Aloi	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Quarles Antoine	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Danny Boushebel	...	Art Gallery Patron (uncredited)
Karen Collazzo	...	Gym Member (uncredited)
Timothy J. Cox	...	Businessman (uncredited)
Maria Diaz	...	Business Woman (uncredited)
Daniel Fainman	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Jeff Grossman	...	Stock Broker (uncredited)
Adelmo Guidarelli	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Edward M. Kelahan	...	Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Kimberly Magness	...	Happy Hour (uncredited)
Francis Maiorino	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)
Tala Marie	...	Party Goer (uncredited)
Tanda Mercer	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Ian Christopher Noel	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Christopher Peuler	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Clifford Rivera	...	Restaurant Patron #2 (uncredited)
Alyson Rogers	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Olu Rufen	...	Restaurant Guest / Bar Patron (uncredited)
Bridget Storm	...	Client (uncredited)
Emily Turner	...	Business Woman (uncredited)
Michelle Vannucchi	...	Fitness Club Member (uncredited)
Paul Weaver	...	Dining Patron (uncredited)
Eric Whitehead	...	Restaurant Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Soderbergh

Writing credits (WGA)
David Levien		(written by) &
Brian Koppelman		(written by)

Produced by
Mark Cuban	....	executive producer
Gregory Jacobs	....	executive producer
Todd Wagner	....	producer

Original Music by
Ross Godfrey

Cinematography by
Steven Soderbergh		(as Peter Andrews)

Film Editing by
Steven Soderbergh

Casting by
Carmen Cuba

Art Direction by
Carlos Moore

Costume Design by
Christopher Peterson

Production Management
David Kirchner	....	post-production supervisor
Robin Le Chanu	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gregory Jacobs	....	first assistant director
Jody Spilkoman	....	second assistant director
Derek Wimble	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Richard Hebrank	....	construction coordinator
Francis Maiorino	....	leadman
Philip Markowitz	....	art department intern
Theo Sena	....	property master

Sound Department
David Betancourt	....	foley mixer
Larry Blake	....	sound re-recording mixer
Larry Blake	....	supervising sound editor
Matt Coby	....	sound editor
Dawn Fintor	....	foley artist
Thomas W. Jordan	....	boom operator
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Billy Theriot	....	assistant sound editor
Dennis Towns	....	production sound mixer

Visual Effects by
Nat Jencks	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Andrew B. Hansen	....	best boy electric
Steven Meizler	....	first assistant camera: 'a' camera
John Joseph Minardi	....	key grip: Las Vegas
William Newell	....	gaffer
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera: 'b' camera (as Heather MacDonald Norton)
Jeff Pinette	....	assistant camera
Randy M. Salo	....	best boy grip
Mark Schmidt	....	b-camera operator
Jeremy Schroeder	....	key grip
Paul Toomey	....	additional second assistant camera
Alexis van Kersen Li	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Peter Walts	....	gaffer: Las Vegas

Casting Department
Alexander Barrow	....	background casting assistant
Melissa Braun	....	background casting associate
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amy L. Teets	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Jason Barnes	....	first assistant editor
Corey Bayes	....	assistant editor
Ralph Costanza	....	digital intermediate producer
Nat Jencks	....	DI editor
Amy McGrath	....	apprentice editor
Tim Stipan	....	supervising digital film colorist
Michael P. Whipple	....	digital intermediate engineer
Lee Wimer	....	color timer
Benjamin Sutor	....	digital intermediate editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Woody Jackson	....	engineer
Woody Jackson	....	musician

Transportation Department
Shane Greedy	....	transportation coordinator
Jim Kelly	....	transportation captain
John Lalor	....	driver
Richard J. Marino	....	driver
Leslie Slaughter	....	driver: Las Vegas

Other crew
Joan Altman	....	production accountant
Cheryl Bohlin	....	craft service
Carol A. Compton	....	script clearance
Kimberly N. Fajen	....	production coordinator
Evan Gabriele	....	assistant location manager
Holly Kang	....	assistant: Mr. Soderbergh
Ken Lavet	....	location manager: Las Vegas
Brendan Lee	....	set production assistant
Francesca M. Mannix	....	production secretary
Ken Meyer	....	legal services
Elaine Mongeon	....	assistant: Mr. Jacobs
Christopher Ramirez	....	location scout: las vegas
John Sesumi	....	production assistant
Robert T. Striem	....	location manager
Adam Wolenski	....	assistant accountant
Johnson Colby Sheffield	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Fritz Chestnut	....	the producers wish to thank
Joe Prieboy	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Magnolia Pictures (presents)
• 2929 Productions (in association with)
• Extension 765 (production)
• HDNet Films (uncredited)

Distributors

• Magnolia Pictures (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2009) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Revolver Entertainment (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• Tohokushinsha Film (2010) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Vertice Cine (2010) (Spain) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Thailand) (all media)
• Koch Media (2013) (Germany) (DVD)
• Magnolia Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2009) (France) (all media)
• Mongrel Media (2009) (Canada) (DVD)
• Paris Filmes (2009) (Brazil) (all media)
• Pinema (2009) (Turkey) (all media) (distributor)
• Pony Canyon (2011) (Japan) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2010) (Portugal) (all media)

Other Companies

• David Dreishpoon's Gourmet Craft Service  catering (as David Dreishpoon's Gourmet Catering)
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• IndieClear  script clearance
• Masterwords  cutting continuity
• Red Digital Cinema  camera equipment provided by
• Swelltone Labs  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

"GfE" - USA (festival title)
"Girlfriend Experience" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content, nudity and language

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Singapore:M18 | Ireland:16 | UK:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:18 | Japan:PG12 | Netherlands:12 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Magnolia Pictures

Trivia:

Steven Soderbergh first heard about Sasha Grey when he read an article in Los Angeles magazine about her.

Quotes:

Interviewer:What I'm trying to build up to here is to see the role this guy plays in your life. Not necessarily your relationship between you... I'm not intrested in the intimate details between these two people... you and your boyfriend. I'm intrested in the kind of relationship somebody in your business would have with someone they actually love.
Chelsea:You'll have to ask him on that.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Brows Held High: The Girlfriend Experience (#2.1)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Rubber Ring

Sex is everywhere in The Girlfriend Experience, except there's no sex.

First of all, Sasha Grey, queen star of more than 80 porn films, is ironically the only professional actor in the movie, playing a character who is always acting. Grey was contacted through MySpace, but she really pulled her part off, considering she works in adult films, she plays the part really well, her performance is understated and realistic.

Because the movie is set during the financial crisis of October 2008, this film is also about people obsessed with money, the true nature of the crisis, from Sasha to her clients.

Her clients talk about the economy more than just having sex with her. Worried about losing their money, those highly blamed executives that people anger in public life are human and vulnerable in their private life, asking for counselling with an escort girl.

When she's alone in the midst of a relationship crisis just as bad as the economical situation, we see that the economy really doesn't phase her. She's recession proof, paid in cold hard cash and no matter how bad things are, guys have needs. Soderbergh jumps around in the story but ties it all together neatly.

The film looks great too, the cinematography is really modern, realistic and with intimate camera movements. However I felt the script was a bit fluffy in places, many of it was improvisation.

It will certainly be an eye opener for those who are unaware of the daily business of an escort. Would have liked to have seen more in-depth analysis of the character’s history/background. Who is she? Where did she come from? What was her upbringing like? The movie ignores these details which are usually important for a character study.

8.5 out of 10