Soderbergh Ep. 19: The Girlfriend Experience (2009) with Anonymous Mystery Guest

Soderbergh's second film for Mark Cuban's Magnolia Pictures was THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, a largely improvised look at life on the cusp of the Great Recession starring adult film megastar Sasha Grey. We're joined by an anonymous writer and sex worker to talk about one of Soderbergh's less-appreciated great films, sex work as work, Grey's legacy, depictions of intimacy, and Power Wash Simulator for the Nintendo Switch. Really great episode, we hope you enjoy!

Further Reading:

Playing The Whore: The Work of Sex Work by Melissa Gira Grant

"The Teenager & The Porn Star" by Dave Gardetta

"Exploitation Under Capitalism" by Mary Mother of God

"Whorearchy 101" by Jack Parker

Soderbergh interview by Ben Walters

Steven Soderbergh: Interviews, ed. Anthony Kaufman

Further Viewing:

RED DESERT (Antonioni, 1964)

KLUTE (Pakula, 1971)

CRIES AND WHISPERS (Bergman, 1972)

FULL FRONTAL (Soderbergh, 2002)

BUBBLE (Soderbergh, 2005)

FASHIONISTAS SAFADO: THE CHALLENGE (Stagliano, 2006)

MAGIC MIKE (Soderbergh, 2012)

ANORA (Baker, 2024)

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