Luckily this film did not qualify for Oscar's as they would have had to saw the Best Actor in half for Damon and Douglas.

Rating: 10/10 (12 April 2019)

A film a about Liberace, especially a 'TV movie' would have held no attraction for me to watch. But on hearing it was directed by Soderburgh caught my attention. My jaw dropped with the casting. Michael Douglas as Liberace? What? Really??? Matt Damon as his 'friend'??? Rob Low as the plastic surgeon???? My first thoughts on awareness from this movie, I live in England, was TV movie about Liberace was why would I like trash movies made for cable. Or satellite. Whichever. Not a studio film a HBO movie. All the possibilities just swirled around my mind of a film made about an artist I had little interest in. But the talent involved in cast and crew just kind of nailed it for me. It was a must see. I did not expect much from it because it being a possible disaster actually started to perturb me. Such talent together HAD to make a decent movie. It would be on their filmography forever. Then I watched it. Then I watched it again. And as of now four times this is why. NO SPOILERS.
Michael Douglas was stunning. I was again anxious of him getting the part wrong to become offensive. There was nothing offensive in his role. I was dragged in to the part he was playing not as some people feel how good his acting out of his normal role and this Is Michael Douglas playing this role as I understand some viewers may be distracted by understandably. For me HE WAS Liberace and I was divulged in interest in his life rather than the lurid and offensive things written about his very strange life. The Matt Damon role role and how he would pull off a character he does not normally play from the start opening scenes went very quickly from worry to who is and how the characters life unfolds. Rob Lowe, yes Rob Lowe!, was engrossing as a plastic surgeon to make for the first time from being engrossed to stand back and think is this role deliberately comedic or frightening. Sank in quickly it was both.
The story moves on I think quite slowly for some and I understand that. Personally I was just so engulfed in such complicated lifestyles. With things unspoken or spoken brutally between characters. Things wanted and not received. Love wanted and sometimes hidden, given, retracted and back and jumbled so much you can feel the complexity of life and what we should hide, show, be frightened to show and pushing away the ones we love.
For me it was a rollercoaster of emotion which at times was painful to watch. It made me laugh. But it also made me cry. Both more than once.
Some viewers may be unsettled by explicit sex scenes in movies. If so dont watch. I dont find myself sex scenes offensive, of any sexuality, if in the context of the movie. But we are all different and I would not accuse anyone of being homophobic. But if you watch it you should expect what is shown in the film and not watch it in the first place. I have refrained from looking at other reviews here in case they are homophobic but I know IMDB does not accept such things anyway. I am straight. But live and live. But the point of the movie is not about some big reveal about the sexuality of Liberace. I am still stunned people would watch him live and not be unaware of it??? But again live and let live for them.
In final, yes I know that was long, the film is about life, love, incredible talent and living life under mask of who you really are in the fear of losing your life. And, and I dont call this a spoiler, the effects on your life because of fear, showmanship, grief, loss and unfortunate unknown at that time consequenes.
My only regret of this movie, as in the title of review if you have read this far, it did not qualify for Oscar's. It appears to be becoming a forgotten and hidden gem now. And last regret is I could not give it 11 out of 10.