The Girlfriend Experience stars adult film actress
Sasha Grey as Chelsea, a high-priced escort who offers her wealthy clientele the eponymous service. In other words, on their long, often overnight "dates," she assumes the role of a temporary romantic partner, attending highbrow cultural events, engaging in intellectual discourse, and eating at hip and expensive restaurants, all while expressing an interest in the client's life and work. She keeps a detailed journal about her clients. Chelsea's live-in boyfriend, a personal trainer (
Chris Santos, who previously worked as a personal trainer in the real world), struggles with trying to earn a fair share of the upscale business he brings into his gym. Chris is conflicted when a wealthy client invites him on a weekend trip to Vegas. The couple faces further problems when Chelsea finds herself sincerely attracted to one of her clients, a married screenwriter. Over the course of the film, Chelsea is interviewed by a journalist (played by real-life journo
Mark Jacobson, whose reporting on Frank Lucas inspired the film
American Gangster), and visits "The Erotic Connoisseur," a sleazy blogger who reviews escort services (portrayed by film critic Glenn Kenny). Director
Steven Soderbergh shot
The Girlfriend Experience (under the pseudonym
Peter Andrews) using the same high-definition camera he used on
Che. The script is by the writing team
David Levien and
Brian Koppelman (
Rounders), who previously worked with
Soderbergh on
Ocean's Thirteen.
The Girlfriend Experience was shown at the
2009 Tribeca Film Festival. As with
Soderbergh's
Bubble, it was released theatrically and on pay-per-view on the same date. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide