Review of The Girlfriend Experience

Steven Soderbergh has made a few very low-key dramas in HD for Mark Cuban's company 2929 Productions.  Bubble came out in 2005.  I couldn't get much more than 20 minutes into it, and it's only 80 minutes long, max.  So I was a bit leery of The Girlfriend Experience, thinking it may be as inaccessible as I found Bubble.  However, knowing the lead actress is a pornstar has a way of piquing interest.
That said, you should know that The Girlfriend Experience is not porn.  Far from it.  It's basically several days in the life of a high-end escort, as she provides not ONLY sex, but mostly the semblance of a relationship for her clients.  We also see her starting up a business, giving an interview about her life and rules, and even falling for one particular client, which obviously is a no-no in her line of work.
I thought this movie might be boring, but it's really not.  It's fascinating to see the everyday details of this woman's life.  She even has a boyfriend, who thus far has been able to handle what her job entails.  Sasha Grey does a nice job making her character Chelsea/Christine a real person, like she absolutely needs to be for this movie.  She plays her as smart and without delusions about her profession.
Soderbergh underplays the visual element for the most part.  There are some striking shots here and there, but mostly, the movie has a naturalistic style, which fits better than the seeming randomness that I thought Bubble displayed.
I enjoyed The Girlfriend Experience.  It's probably not what you're expecting.  I'd recommend it for anyone who can get into low-key, indie character dramas.  3 stars.

Number rating: 78