Kinsey (2004)

Bill Condon is in serious form here, as 'Kinsey' is truly a work of sheer genius! Based on the life Alfred Charles Kinsey (June 23, 1894 - August 25, 1956), a pioneer in the area of sexology, this Biographical Drama, is informative, interesting, brave & proficiently acted by its strong ensemble, led by Liam Neeson (As Kinsey) Laura Linney (As His Wife).'Kinsey' Synopsis: A look at the life of Alfred Kinsey, a pioneer in the area of human sexuality research, whose 1948 publication "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male" was one of the first recorded works that saw science address sexual behavior.Sexual Education has been basic learning for us in schools, and how procreation takes us ahead. But, Kinsey wanted to learn about the concept of desires & the acts of sexual fantasies, that engross the human mind & body. And this biopic brings his life to light, with an interesting blend of sexuality & the tensions between its humanistic characters. We see Kinsey soar, struggle & even explore his own ideas of sex & biology, with the correct blend of dramatic punches & emotion resonance. Bill Condon's Screenplay & Direction, both, are masterful. His Screenplay is engaging & unlocks your mind on sex & beyond, with stunning connectivity. His Direction is equally competent, capturing his each moment with finesse. Cinematography, Editing, & Art & Costume Design deserve a special mention. Carter Burwell's Score is well-done, as usual.Performance-Wise: Liam Neeson & Laura Linney add tremendous weight to 'Kinsey' with their sensational performances. Neeson digs deep into Kinsey & portrays a complicated, yet compelling man to perfection. A complete contrast from his now Action-Hero Image, Neeson's depiction of a man who's felt pain & also searching for answers, is truly delightful. Linney, as his long-suffering wife, is a scene-stealer. Her performance is undoubtedly the one that leaves the maximum impact & Linney leaves no stone unturned in her unforgettable portrayal. Of the rest of the ensemble cast, it's Peter Sarsgaard (extraordinary), Chris O'Donnell (controlled), Timothy Hutton (very good), John Lithgow (flawless), Tim Curry (perfect) & Oliver Platt (superb), who leave a strong impression. On the whole, 'Kinsey' is a ride worth taking. After all, Kinsey is only exploring each one of us. Isn't He?

Prior to watching this film, I was only nominally familiar with Alfred Kinsey and his life's work. Now, having seen it, KINSEY provides an interesting look at a man who devoted his life's work to probing the depths of human sexuality. Although Kinsey started his career as a zoologist who studied gall wasps, he later discovered that people provided just as interesting a field of study. The film, although it does cover some of his early life, is primarily focused on the landmark sex study that he began in the late 1940's. One thing that surprised me was just how funny the film was at times, but there just as many moments that struck an poignant emotional chord as well. And of course, Liam Neeson kills it as Alfred Kinsey. This is probably the best role I've ever seen him in. And Laura Linney does just as well playing his wife. Another great aspect of the film is the writing, which was tight, smart and had great attention to character. I also liked how it put America's hangups with sexuality right out front for all to see just how ridiculously prude we can be, just like Kinsey did with his study. It might be a little sad, but there is still a significant cross-section of Americans that remain set in their ways. Maybe someone should show them this film and see if they have a change of heart. Ultimately, though, the film is most effective as a biopic, and a thoroughly engrossing one at that. If you're looking for a biopic on a lesser-known subject, or want to see one of Liam Neeson's best (and probably least seen) performances, then KINSEY should do just fine.

Kinsey examines the work and methodology of human sexuality by Professor Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson) whose publication took 1940s America by storm and also aroused controversy.The film tries to take a scientific approach to human sexuality and hence tries to take a detached, clinical approach to the story in order to make the subject of sex impersonal. However in doing this they rather made the characters in the film impersonal as well which was probably not the writer/director Bill Condon's intention.The film has an interesting opening but when you see Kinsey as an adult its clear that Neeson is too old to play Kinsey in his 20s and it seems they have given him some helium to make his voice lighter for that part of the film.As a biopic its breezy enough but I felt it was shallow. There is very little we know about the man or his wife after the film ends. One moment we see his kids as teenagers and then they disappear, we see some resolve with his horrible father who unloads a childhood trauma when interviewed by his son and that is it. Its almost film as a fast food serving. One moment Kinsey is the toast of the town, his book is a bestseller and then he is a pariah, losing funding and J Edgar Hoover after him.The film is competently acted although Neeson does well as the older Kinsey rather than the younger version. John Lithgow impresses in the early scenes of the film.

As someone on the autistic spectrum interested in how it motivates study and interest in topics, after reading speculations that Kinsey might have been on the spectrum, I wanted to check this movie out.I was not disappointed: it's a fine portrayal of a great scientist's life work; Neeson and Linney act the role of the couple and the ups and downs of their lifes' relationship and sharing in the research in an extremely empathy-raising way. Like 'A Beautiful Mind', 'The Social Network' and 'The Man in the White Suit' it's one of those movies that unconsciously celebrates the nature of the AS personality and for me, these are great feel-good movies. I find it's the human story of Kinsey and Mac that's the movie's strong point because the film making as other reviewers before said, is fairly pedestrian.A well watched DVD in my collection and a good film for anyone interested in science and the nature of research. However this is not a topic for everyone.