A top-notch biopic. A riveting portrayal of a pioneer who quickly became a political and social target for opening up an unresearched and taboo area of human life. Sober, never flashy or exciting but always engrossing, both for its penetration (no pun intented) into Kinsey's psychology and for the effects his findings are shown to have on the world and the people around him. Liam Neeson encarnates the character and the man like few actors have since 'his' Schindler and Laura Linney almost out-shines him in many scenes. A manditory watch.
Great acting is what makes this movie. I wasn't as interested in the story, although its very good as well, as I was in Liam Neeson. He makes this movie.
Caught this again recently and still earns an easy 4 stars for acting, directing and writing. Only a few inplausible quibbles, barely enough to mention...
I really don't know about it being one of the best films of 2004, maybe 2004 was a weak year, I don't really recall but it is a very good one. Liam Neeson, one of my favorite actors, is brilliant and so are the supporting characters. Like the scientist main character himself though, the movie lacks heart or so I find and that's why it was hard for me to really love it.
Great historical movie about the origins of sexology. Movie in itself had flaws in minor character development, but this is due mostly to it being a biopic. Saddest part is that it seems as if society really hasn't changed at all.
The biographical story of Alfred Kinsey, the trail blazing scientist who, in 1948, shocked the world with his sensational book "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male". The film recounts his extraordinary journey from obscurity to notoriety with graphic detail.
It's hard to overstate Kinsey's impact on American culture. While I agree that his contributions are beyond significant and that his is a story worth telling, I still have far too many inhibitions to be objective in my review of this explicit and controversial movie. Kinsey the film, much like Kinsey the man, is sometimes disturbing, sometimes funny, but always interesting.
flawed but interesting. liam neeson and laura linney are excellent. but a word of warning: if you are easily embarrassed, do NOT watch this with anyone else.
This was an interesting movie based on Kinsey's research. If you're not familiar with it, please visit wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsey_scale The movie was a bit long at times, but nonetheless interesting.
The life of Alfred Kinsey who took a technical view of researching sex and finds that emotions do figure in after all, something his own personal & emotional flaws took him some time to arrive to. Good performance by Liam Neeson; and for me?.. an even better one by Laura Linney who plays his most devoted wife.
As a very liberal person, living in a very liberal country, I sure enjoyed the story of this film. It's main theme, revolving around human sexuality and one man's quest to research and and revolutionize said field with the help of science, was very intriguing indeed, especially as the story is based on real events. Great performance as well by Liam Neeson and the supporting cast.
a terrific, albeit explicit biopic of the modern sex pioneer. Kinsey is both brilliantly protagonized and antagonized by the thralls of science, society, familial rebellion, and human emotion. great acting performances and very well-edited. solid movie.
Great story of the man who explored sexual activity with stats in the 20th century. Liam Neeson doing well as the nerdy professor who takes his research to obsession.
Sex has always been a controversial subject in America. It still is today (for example, movies are more likely to harbor an 'NC-17' rating for sex, then they are violence). The Motion Picture Association of America finds sex more inappropriate then violence. That doesn't make much sense, since violence is a more uncommon thing to see then sex (it's more normal for two people to have intercourse, then for a guy to blow another guy's head off with a .44 magnum). We have always been very judgmental and afraid of sex as a society, and even more so in the 1920s. In the Boy Scout's handbook back then, it stated for every ounce of semen you spill in masturbation you lose a pint of blood. That's ridiculous, that we as a culture would be so against our children, god forbid, experiencing something as absolutely natural as sexual gratification that we'd scare them into not doing it. Well, that's just the way things were, and the excellent new film by independent filmmaker, Bill Condon (Oscar Nominee 'Gods and Monsters'), 'Kinsey', follows the real-life journey of one man to make us understand this more and be more accepting of it.
'Kinsey' revolves around biology professor, Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey (Liam Neeson - Schindler's List), who did experimental research on the sexual desires and habits of the general public of his time. Professor Kinsey does this with the help of three young male assistants, Wardell Pomeroy (Chris O'Donnell - Cookie's Fortune), Clyde Martin (Peter Sarsgaard - Shattered Glass), and Paul Gebhard (Timothy Hutton - Playing God). Along with featuring Kinsey's research and reports, the film uncovers his personal life, like his estranged yet loving marriage to his former student, Clara McKillen (Laura Linney - You Can Count On Me) and his distant, hateful and sorrowful relationship with his staunch conservative and pretentious reverend father, Alfred Seguise Kinsey (played by 3rd Rock From the Sun's John Lithgow).
Bill Condon's biopic on the legendary sex researcher, Alfred Kinsey, is an excellent film overall. It has minimal flaws like being a tad overlong and having an inadequate ending, but everything besides that is spectacular. The finest aspect of this motion picture is definitely the acting. Liam Neeson gives an incredibly passionate and detailed performance as the legendary Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey, that should have maybe gotten him an Academy Award Nomination. Laura Linney is equally as fantastic as Kinsey's intricate and loving wife, a role which earned her an Oscar nod last year (sadly the movie's only one). Timothy Hutton is very good in his role, but Chris O'Donnell's acting just didn't quite do it for me. John Lithgow is fabulous as the seemingly cruel but emotionally scarred father of Dr. Kinsey (he really shows us he can do as good as job with a dramatic role, as he can a comedic role). Oliver Platt, Veronica Cartwright, Lynn Redgrave, Dylan Baker and Tim Curry have bit roles, but the real stand-out performer in this is newcomer indie film actor, Peter Sarsgaard. He gives a performance so richly layered, it's almost too brilliant for words. Young Sarsgaard proves himself to be the next great young actor of our generation with his pivotal role in 'Kinsey'. The Academy was absolutely insane not to award him with an Oscar nomination. The film's screenplay is masterful with intriguing and sophisticated dialogue, and Condon does an equally as great a job with directing.
In conclusion, 'Kinsey' is an excellent film, yet a daring film. Viewers should be aware it features extremely graphic sexual dialogue and situations (all are in good taste, but still...) In other words, even though 'Kinsey' is a great movie, it's not one to watch with your mother! If you are easily offended by this sort of thing, don't even bother with this movie. If you aren't I highly recommend this film that gives an interesting and immensely intelligent view on the way sex is interpreted and should be interpreted in our society. Grade: A-
MCT:July 6, 2008
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