9 Songs

Director Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People) has created the first great porn film of the 21st century. Or maybe ever. Unless it’s not porn, which is possible, because porn generally excludes art. 9 Songs tells the story of the relationship of 21-year-old Lisa and 30-something Matt through an unprecedented look at natural, unguarded moments. It’s not just that there’s real sex; it’s that the sex, and the relationship, seem painfully, embarrassingly real. The dialogue has the meaningless sing-song quality of things lovers actually say when they’re only speaking for the pleasure of listening to each other, and the acting, particularly by Margo Stilley as Lisa, is so natural that it seems like a documentary. Unfortunately, or fortunately if you’re a fan of Brit-pop and recent high-profile hipster tunes, there’s a lot of live concert footage that goes on and on and on. But between songs, there’s something never before seen on camera.