Delayed Reaction: sex, lies, and videotape

What I Guessed It Was About: James Spader records people having sex on a videotape and lies about having done it afterward.

How I Came Into It: This is one of those iconic titles that's bigger than the movie ever was. Most of my knowledge of it was by name alone. It's the film that put Stephen Soderbergh on the map and a Palme d'Or is nothing to be ignored, but that title is why it's still so well known.

Why I Saw It: (Club 50) This is a super simple movie. James Spader comes into town. He excites Andie MacDowell. Peter Gallagher and Laura San Giacomo, MacDowell's sister, reverse-cuckold MacDowell. People find things out. Turmoil happens. Spader has a great spaced-out performance and the payoff to why he has the collection is nicely anti-climactic.

Why I Wish I Hadn't: It's certainly not as edgy as it once was and this is a movie that bases its significance on its edginess. Its place in the 90s indie movie movement will forever keep it relevant though. I don't know what to do with the lack of nudity in the movie. What was the motivation behind that? Were the topics so scandalous back then that any nudity would've pushed it to an NC-17 rating? Was the lack of actual nudity done on purpose to show that all sexuality doesn't involve skin? Could they not have gotten better actors if fewer clothes were needed? It wouldn't change my opinion of the movie. I'm just curious.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend