The real choice casting coup is former Premiere film critic Glenn Kenny, playing a swarthy editor of an online “call girl review” site who persuades Chelsea to let him sample her wares in exchange for a glowing review. You can be sure casting a film critic in that role was certainly no accident.
There are not too many other subtle casting tricks up its sleeve; instead The Girlfriend Experience is a blank canvas on which Soderberg can indulge some of his film school urgings, which he does fluidly without ever appearing indulgent or superfluous. This is Soderberg exploring his inner Godard. And for those who appreciate the technical aspects of film, he does not disappoint: using diagetic street drums to pound out the soundtrack in spots (a stark contrast to his infectious jazzy score of the Ocean's heist films), subtle static camera angles to respect the rule of thirds, and bathing the affair in warm amber hues that accentuate each scene and its player.
The Girlfriend Experience will certainly fade into Soderberg's resume perhaps just as quickly as its of-the-moment pre-election conversations, but it's ultimately like giving Picasso a pencil and watching just what he can create with limited means and his own imagination.
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Article comments
1 - StaciJay
Saw this via Amazon. While it comes across a bit flat, it will certainly be an eye opener for those who are unaware of daily business of an escort . Would have liked to have seen more in-depth analysis of the characters 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.