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Behind the Candelabra Movie Review

Behind the Candelabra is a 2013 biographical drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. It’s a pretty good, engaging biopic.

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“I have an eye for new and refreshing talent.

You have an eye for new and refreshing dick“

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It dramatizes the last ten years in the life of pianist Liberace and the relationship that he had with Scott Thorson. This movie had difficulty getting financing due to it being very gay, so it ended up being a television production. This led to it being nominated and winning in numerous categories at the Emmies. For me, it’s one of those biopics that are so focused on its performances that they stole the show from what is otherwise a standard tale.

I hadn’t known much about Liberace going in, but apparently this film was very historically accurate. It explored what it was like being a gay celebrity in that era and how clueless his fans were about his sexuality. The movie is like a gay version of ‘Sunset Boulevard’ as the two share numerous plot points with each other, but thematically speaking this one left a lot to be desired. It’s a fun time to be had due to a solidly witty dialogue and some fun drama between the characters, but it failed to say more about any of them.

Scott is effectively the protagonist of the story while Douglas gets to be over-the-top and campy. I found his performance terrific and one of his best for sure. At first I wasn’t sure if he could pull it off, but he was ultimately believable in the role and the right mix of theatrical and real. Damon was also strong in a very well written role. The dynamic between the two was complex and well developed, but it is difficult to care for any one of them as both are horrible human beings.

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Behind the Candelabra features solid supporting players with Scott Bakula being the standout. The movie is at its best when it’s showcasing the excess of Liberace, but the more human drama was not as effective due to the characters being unlikable and the themes underdeveloped. For what was ostensibly a television movie, the technical aspects were terrific. The flick is very well shot, scored and directed, but the highlights are the various colorful costumes and the prosthetic work that was truly impressive.