The Girlfriend Experience was originally a film directed by Steven Soderbergh and headlined by porn star Sasha Grey, and now it’s a critically acclaimed series on Starz that was just released on Blu-ray this week. Riley Keough (she’s Elvis Presley’s granddaughter) delivers a star making performance in the role of Christine, a woman who’s drawn into the world of escorting by a classmate (Kate Lyn Sheil).
Along with being a student and a high paid escort, Christine has also landed a coveted internship at a high powered Chicago law firm (Boardwalk Empire’s Paul Sparks is one of the lawyers). Juggling three jobs while also attempting to conceal her identity from both sides of her universe is one of the series’ most intriguing aspects. Christine is also a fascinating character, a young woman who’s laser focused on her goals and isn’t afraid of being assertive.
The brisk nature (each episode is twentysomething minutes), steamy sex scenes, as well as the first rate, occasionally unpredictable storytelling from co-director/writers Lodge Kerrigan and Amy Seimetz (who also plays Christine’s sister on the series) should keep you addicted enough to even possibly binge watch the entire first season.
Along with getting an intimate look at Christine’s various relationships with her clients (her escort name is Chelsea), the series also focuses on the inner drama behind the law firm. Both sides of Christine’s universe are interesting to watch, and Keough simply nails all of her character’s diverse traits (along with being relatively fearless, Christine also has a wry sense of humor).
Special features on the Blu-ray include the featurettes “An Inside Look” (2:17), “What Is The Girlfriend Experience? “(2:12), and “The Look of The Girlfriend Experience: Voyeurism Is Here (1:52).
Recently renewed for season two but with a new set of characters, The Girlfriend Experience is not just proof that sex sells – great stories, at least with Kerrigan and Seimetz behind the camera, are an even more valuable form of currency.
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