Organnall
Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,
Kodie Bird
True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.
Myron Clemons
A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.
SnoopyStyle
Kinsey suffered under his strictly moral religious father (John Lithgow). In Indiana University, student Clara 'Mac' McMillen (Laura Linney) is fascinated by professor Kinsey. Eventually they get married. Kinsey starts sex education but he finds the knowledge limited. He starts researching human sexuality with associate Clyde Martin (Peter Sarsgaard). First Kinsey has sex with Clyde and then Mac. Wardell Pomeroy (Chris O'Donnell) and Paul Gebhard (Timothy Hutton) join in the research team.It's an interesting history. Kinsey is an oddball and he annoys me quite a bit. I like his relationship with Mac. The movie would be more appealing as a relationship movie. In the end, I don't really like Kinsey and I don't like what he does to Mac. I'm uncertain whether I like this movie or not.
brchthethird
Prior to watching this film, I was only nominally familiar with Alfred Kinsey and his life's work. Now, having seen it, KINSEY provides an interesting look at a man who devoted his life's work to probing the depths of human sexuality. Although Kinsey started his career as a zoologist who studied gall wasps, he later discovered that people provided just as interesting a field of study. The film, although it does cover some of his early life, is primarily focused on the landmark sex study that he began in the late 1940's. One thing that surprised me was just how funny the film was at times, but there just as many moments that struck an poignant emotional chord as well. And of course, Liam Neeson kills it as Alfred Kinsey. This is probably the best role I've ever seen him in. And Laura Linney does just as well playing his wife. Another great aspect of the film is the writing, which was tight, smart and had great attention to character. I also liked how it put America's hangups with sexuality right out front for all to see just how ridiculously prude we can be, just like Kinsey did with his study. It might be a little sad, but there is still a significant cross-section of Americans that remain set in their ways. Maybe someone should show them this film and see if they have a change of heart. Ultimately, though, the film is most effective as a biopic, and a thoroughly engrossing one at that. If you're looking for a biopic on a lesser-known subject, or want to see one of Liam Neeson's best (and probably least seen) performances, then KINSEY should do just fine.
Dalbert Pringle
*Spoiler Alert!* So, is he normal?.... Kinsey's star "sex survey" discovery could (get this!) go (with a quick flick of the wrist) from being flaccid to erect to ejaculation in just 10 seconds flat! Zowie! In the realm of "The Fastest Shot Around", I'd say that this guy must've been some sort of a world record holder.... Wouldn't you? Alfred Kinsey (b. 1894/d. 1956), who is considered by many to be The Father of the Sexual Revolution, was not only a very active bisexual, but also something of a serious masochist, which seemed to stem from his stern upbringing by his tyrannical father.Kinsey, who was initially a devoted biologist, seemed to study sex amongst humans in the same way that he studied insects (his first passion). In other words, he viewed his work from a very detached and clinical point of view.And, so, with that in mind, it should come as no surprise to the viewer that the sex scenes shown in this fairly intriguing bio-pic contain no eroticism, whatsoever. It's all just straight out of the textbook stuff.This film certainly seemed to suggest more than it revealed about just how much Kinsey, himself, actually participated in his own sex studies. But, it is a known fact that he regularly filmed the volunteered sex acts of his co-workers in the attic of his own home.Throughout the mid-1940s - Out of the thousands of people (of all ages, all across the USA) who were interviewed by Kinsey and his colleagues it was surprisingly revealed (through these extensive studies) just how commonplace oral sex, homosexuality, adultery, and masturbation (which, back then, was believed to cause serious mental illness) were amongst the American population, in general.One of this film's major downfalls was that it tried, far too earnestly, to cover too much ground in its 2-hour running time. And, with that, it seriously lost its way by the time that its last half-hour rolled around.All-in-all - This film, which talk-talk-talks about sex like no other film around, was, for the most part, well-worth a view regardless of its flukes, its flaws and its somewhat uneven editing.P.S.Actor Liam Neeson was 52 (and he looked it) when he played the title character in this film. And that, in turn, rendered him as being completely unconvincing when he tried to pass himself off as the Kinsey character in his 20s and 30s.
itamarscomix
Probably no other genre of film is as standardized as the bio-pic. There are few brave ones who break the mold, but those are usually the ones with a fairly famous subject - Nowhere Boy (Lennon), I'm Not There (Dylan) etc. Most mainstream bio-pics, though, have to adhere to a pretty strict code and structure; not a bad thing, but a necessity, because when the majority of the audience know little to none about the subject matter, the bio-pic's first priority is usually to get the facts across.Which is why you will almost never see a great bio-pics. These films usually win awards for acting and writing, but rarely for the films themselves, and they rarely appear on any 'best films' lists. But while a great bio-pic is rare, to make a good bio-pic you only need a few elements: interesting subject matter, good acting, convincing setting of time and place, and with any luck something substantial to say about the person's life and impact.Kinsey, unfortunately, hits the mark only on the first two points. The acting is terrific - strangely, though, the supporting cast is more impressive than the lead. Liam Neeson delivers a good performance, but it's far from his best; on the other hand, Laura Linney, Peter Sarsgaard and especially John Lithgow - in a brief but masterful performance as Kinsey's father - are far better.Interestingly, Kinsey has more cinematic merit than many other bio-pic in terms of cinematography, score and editing, all very good. But the structure of the film is lacking, and in the end fails to make any valid point about Kinsey's controversial work. In fact, while the first half of the film is intriguing, even fascinating, the second half which focuses on the controversy and scandal surrounding Kinsey's book feels rushed and dry, and the ending is particularly weak and unsatisfying. It's still an interesting bio-pic and worth watching, mainly because the story itself is so fascinating; but more could have been done with it.
