Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Or, as it might have been called, “Sex, Lies and Fabulous Capes”. If this skewed biopic of Liberace turns out to be Stephen Soderbergh's swansong (as he has threatened), the director leaves on a high.
It paints a picture of the rhinestoned pianist that is less than flattering – as one might expect given it is based on the autobiography of his one-time lover, Scott Thorson, who was turfed out of his life after five years together.
Michael Douglas gives a supreme performance as the world’s most flamboyant showman, alternately charisma personified and reptilian predator, while Matt Damon is extraordinary as Thorson, whose story is as entertainingly outrageous – being forced to have plastic surgery to look more like his benefactor, for instance – as it is quite possibly apocryphal.
The dialogue is catty and the costumes natty – but the narrative is interested more in the rhythms of the central, human relationship than it is in the gilded ephemera that surrounds it. Spirited, sassy, sensational.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments