Solid performances in a serviceable but lacking film.

Rating: 6/10 (13 July 2013)

After struggling to find a home to find a home for several years, Steven Soderbergh's long-talked about Liberace has finally graced our screens after a wonderful reception at the Cannes Film Festival, only this time it was brought directly to our small screens in the form of HBO. Soderbergh claimed that studio executives chose not to finance the film because they deemed it "too gay". Its a shame that such a thing would occur in this day and age. Instead of the possible Academy Award recognition the film could have received, it will now compete amongst television. Though that's better than nothing.
Any awards consideration this film would have been for its acting, which is the most appealing feature of the film. Behind the Candelabra is a well made film that follows Scott Thorson (Matt Damon) and how his life changes after he engages in a complicated relationship with famous musician Liberace (Michael Douglas). The film does a wonderful job at education those who are unaware of who Liberace actually was, thanks to Michael Douglas's terrific performance. Every once in a while, we see an actor we are this familiar with completely disappear into a role. Douglas brings Liberace to life and is fully convincing in the role. While watching him, we get a great sense of how Douglas actually understands the man, that there is heart and reason behind the physicality of it all.
The film, although about Liberace, is not a biopic. It merely follows Liberace the same way that Scott Thorson does and from that time period only. Damon plays Scott as a complicated and misguided young man. He maintains throughout the film that he is bisexual and not completely gay, yet we have to decide for ourselves just how much he loves Liberace, if he loves him at all. When they first meet, Scott's eyes are wide open and he absorbs everything that the man is. Clearly he is fascinated with him, but it's easy to determine that Scott is quite confused, and not just with his sexuality. As he befriends, and slowly but surely starts dating Liberace, we wonder if this is what Scott truly wants as much as he wonders it.
The relationship between the two main characters is bizarre to say the least. Liberace wishes to not only be with Scott and have a sexual relationship with him, he decides he wants to legally adopt him. He wants to be his father, his brother, his best friend, and his lover. He wants Scott to get surgery to look more like him. Exactly what makes Liberace desire this? The film doesn't explore any territory that Scott doesn't get exposed to and it uses him as a means of trying to understand Liberace. However the audience starts to lose sight of Scott when he gets dragged in to the 'California' lifestyle.
The film holds your attention throughout but never attempts to dazzle the viewer. The story almost steps aside and lets the acting take command of the screen, and the film does not disappoint in that aspect. However, relying on acting alone to completely engage the audience is not an easy task. Even with actors as wonderful as Douglas and Damon, its hard to not watch a film such as this and wish it just had a little something more to make it more memorable. Soderbergh claims that this will be his last film in quite some time, although he has claimed that before. I hope one day he returns and reminds us that he's the same director who brought us Traffic.