Soderbergh's movie might be considered the stereotypical Indie film since it set a few
precedents as far as Indies were concerned. The
popularity of someone in a movie videotaping while another is talking, and us seeing the view from the
videotape perspective is one of these. Many films
followed suit after Sex, Lies and Videotape did such a great job with it. It was also the first big winner at the freshly founded
Sundance Film Festival, and James Spader won the
Best Actor prize at the 1989
Cannes Film Festival for his understated, but terrific performance as
Graham.
The sensuality riding underneath the conversations of MacDowell's character, Ann, and Graham is quite powerful and brilliantly played. Ann's neurosis is not evil. She is a product of her environment and it is something that has built over an unfortunate period of time. She does not wish to throw her problems onto other people- she kindly devotes this to her therapist. A rather disgusting husband, over years, could prove more than unsettling. She also could have used a job. Ann's saucy sister, well played by Laura San Giacomo ("Pretty Woman"), carries a coolness but severely lacks in flavor since she heartlessly has an affair with Ann's husband.
There is a script with Soderbergh's notes published, and it is a rather interesting read. He discusses daily shooting schedules and new camera tricks. The unique angle placed on San Giacomo's character as she orgasms in one scene is pretty neat.
Also the line from the movie, when Ann is speaking to her therapist about happiness, actually went more like this:
"Being happy isn't all that great. I mean the last time I was really happy, I got so fat. I must have gained 25 pounds. I thought John was going to have a stroke."