Behind The Candelabra Review
Behind the Candelabra is to Liberace what My Week With Marilyn was to Monroe. It is a camp, fun and glamorous biopic that manages to accomplish what it set out to do, even if it doesn't reach perfection.
The plot is part melodrama, part social commentary on celebrity culture, fame and wealth. It deals with relatively well visited areas that have been covered by similar films, but makes the film no less interesting. The narrative is based around a small town country boy Scott Thorson and his relationship with the eccentric piano performer Liberace. The two meet at one of Liberace's shows and instantly form a bond which is later explored throughout the film. Typically, the relationship turns sour and the film escalates into an argument filled commentary on the frivolous nature of fame, and the decay of the celebrity. It's a well trodden path, covered by similar biopics such as the previously mentioned My Week With Marilyn, Dream girls and Coco Before Chanel. The script is well written, and the dialogue is sharp, with a streak of humour inter cut throughout the film, this makes the cliche plot easier to swallow, and provides moments of light heartedness within the sometimes grim story. By the end of the film, it all becomes quite emotional, and manages to effectively make the audience care about the self absorbed characters, which is no small feat.
However, this is without a doubt a performance driven film, similar to Lincoln or Les Miserables, it brings out the best in the actor's abilities. There are two standout performances in Behind the Candelabra, Micheal Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as Scott, both roles are knockout, and deserve some sort of recognition. Micheal Douglas in particular is sublime as Liberace, and provides just enough camp to effectively portray the star, rather than over play the part and lose some of the character's humanity. Damon's brilliant portrayal of a man driven insane by lust, money and fame is also brilliant, bringing out the best in an actor who is usually average at best. Technically the film is beautiful, the use of bright colours, eccentric fashion choices and a glossy sheen extenuate the films focus on fame and riches. The HBO origins of the picture may suggest a cheap, made for TV look and feel, but this is simply not the case, as the film looks and feels just as good as any other major studio production, and feels miles away from the steamy shows that HBO is known for.
If you're looking to see a well written, well acted film then look no further than Behind the Candelabra. While the plot may not provide any new experiences, it manages to provide character depth and by the end is touching and moving. Micheal Douglas and Matt Damon are worth the price of admission alone, and won't disappoint, even if you're not interested in Liberace. A fine piece of biographical cinema.
8/10
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