I see that many people criticize this movie and label it as pornographic and plain boring, so I thought I'd share my two cents.
First of all, it's not a comedy nor an action movie. It's not fast-paced and doesn't have lots of explosions and cool CGI. I guess that doesn't fit the profile of a good movie for the majority of the population.
Now let's talk about what it is. It's a drama. The previously described movies are so much easier to watch whether they're good or bad. Drama doesn't work like that. Good drama makes you think and feel. Bad drama is a pain.
So, the problem we're reduced to is whether this is good or bad drama. For me, i.e., in my opinion, a good drama must be intelligent. It's not a matter of pace, twists or suspense, otherwise it would be another genre (thriller, western, police, crime, etc). An intelligent drama is written/designed to control our feelings and shape our thoughts. Of course, much like everything else, it depends a lot on the receiving end. Some people don't like chocolate. Does that make chocolate bad? No, it makes it bad for those people. It's still great for those who appreciate it. The quality of a drama depends on how much you're willing to let it change you. If you just hold on to your preconceived notions, then it's not going to work.
So, what makes this an intelligent drama? Well, the story starts with a curious situation that brings together two characters from very different worlds: One whose life revolves around sex and one who completely ignores it. The first one tells the story of her life and we get to see it from the perspectives of both characters. Why is this important? Because it makes you think in different ways, which is something our society lacks. People are so driven by their own views and opinions that can't put themselves on each other's shoes. On top of that, they divide the world into two. There's only right or wrong, heroes or abominations and it's not that simple.
The pace of this film is very slow, but that's needed. You need the time to think. Whenever one of the so labeled "pornographic" scenes comes up, you can think about the implications. "Is it that wrong what she's doing? Why does she do it?". Whoever sais "Who cares? It's just a movie. That's sex. It's porn." is simply lazy. The end will seem really disappointing until you really think about it. You mind find it great if you just turn from your fixed point of view. Besides, I think being slow and dull is exactly what this movie is supposed to be. Life is slow. Her life was slow and she had trouble feeling. She did something about it. She searched for a way to feel and found it in sex.
Now, I'll grant you that the story isn't that compelling and not many people can relate. But it's not complete garbage. It was a nice ride (pun intended). It teaches a lot if you're willing to listen. If you're looking for excitement too, this is not where you'll find it.
To sum it up, this is a smarter movie than people give credit for, but you need to open your mind.
First of all, it's not a comedy nor an action movie. It's not fast-paced and doesn't have lots of explosions and cool CGI. I guess that doesn't fit the profile of a good movie for the majority of the population.
Now let's talk about what it is. It's a drama. The previously described movies are so much easier to watch whether they're good or bad. Drama doesn't work like that. Good drama makes you think and feel. Bad drama is a pain.
So, the problem we're reduced to is whether this is good or bad drama. For me, i.e., in my opinion, a good drama must be intelligent. It's not a matter of pace, twists or suspense, otherwise it would be another genre (thriller, western, police, crime, etc). An intelligent drama is written/designed to control our feelings and shape our thoughts. Of course, much like everything else, it depends a lot on the receiving end. Some people don't like chocolate. Does that make chocolate bad? No, it makes it bad for those people. It's still great for those who appreciate it. The quality of a drama depends on how much you're willing to let it change you. If you just hold on to your preconceived notions, then it's not going to work.
So, what makes this an intelligent drama? Well, the story starts with a curious situation that brings together two characters from very different worlds: One whose life revolves around sex and one who completely ignores it. The first one tells the story of her life and we get to see it from the perspectives of both characters. Why is this important? Because it makes you think in different ways, which is something our society lacks. People are so driven by their own views and opinions that can't put themselves on each other's shoes. On top of that, they divide the world into two. There's only right or wrong, heroes or abominations and it's not that simple.
The pace of this film is very slow, but that's needed. You need the time to think. Whenever one of the so labeled "pornographic" scenes comes up, you can think about the implications. "Is it that wrong what she's doing? Why does she do it?". Whoever sais "Who cares? It's just a movie. That's sex. It's porn." is simply lazy. The end will seem really disappointing until you really think about it. You mind find it great if you just turn from your fixed point of view. Besides, I think being slow and dull is exactly what this movie is supposed to be. Life is slow. Her life was slow and she had trouble feeling. She did something about it. She searched for a way to feel and found it in sex.
Now, I'll grant you that the story isn't that compelling and not many people can relate. But it's not complete garbage. It was a nice ride (pun intended). It teaches a lot if you're willing to listen. If you're looking for excitement too, this is not where you'll find it.
To sum it up, this is a smarter movie than people give credit for, but you need to open your mind.