Depressing but well done

Rating: 5/10 (3 June 2013)

This movie about Liberace's relationship with Thorson is wonderfully acted by Douglas and Damon, effectively filmed, well written, and, for me, not especially enjoyable. I found Damon's powerlessness in the relationship depressing, and while Douglas makes Liberace seem pretty likable, his actions are insufferably egocentric and inconsiderate. Since the book this was based on was written by a jilted lover, it may or may not reflect much truth, but it's still a depressing story.
It's hard to know how real any of this is. The plastic surgeon is so disturbing looking that it's hard to believe anyone would go under his knife (the single image I could find of him through google did not look nearly as freakish) and even though Douglas does a great job of nuancing Liberace into a real person in spite of his quirky voice and mannerisms, parts of the movie seem rather cartoonish.
It's nice we've reached a point where major Hollywood actors will take a chance on material like this; it's a movie that doesn't shy away from sex the way earlier movies about gay people did. But I just never could get into it.