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Behind the Candelabra

Play trailer Poster for Behind the Candelabra TV-MA 2013 1h 58m Drama Biography Romance LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 106 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
World-famous pianist Liberace (Michael Douglas) takes much-younger Scott Thorson (Matt Damon) as a lover, but the relationship deteriorates when Liberace takes other bedmates and Thorson becomes addicted to drugs.
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Behind the Candelabra

Behind the Candelabra

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Critics Consensus

Affectionate without sacrificing honesty, Behind the Candelabra couples award-worthy performances from Michael Douglas and Matt Damon with some typically sharp direction from Steven Soderbergh.

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Critics Reviews

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J. Hoberman ARTINFO.com 02/22/2019
Although Behind the Candelabra may be Soderbergh's swan song, it's an uncanny resurrection of the creature that was Liberace. Go to Full Review
Deborah Ross The Spectator 09/05/2018
Yes. It is fabulous. No other word for it, unless that word is "glorious." Go to Full Review
Roger Clarke Sight & Sound 04/04/2018
Douglas brings a preening, nervous energy to a performance that may well prove to be the best of his career... Go to Full Review
Jason Adams My New Plaid Pants 07/02/2021
Soderbergh seems most intent on normalizing homosexuality itself, and he does that by zooming straight out to the furthest reaches of stereotype and straining for the banal amongst the golden slippers and snarling houseboys Go to Full Review
Niall Browne Movies in Focus 03/17/2021
4/5
Behind The Candelabra isn't Soderbergh's flashiest movie, he plays things very 'straight' visually. There are few cinematic flourishes- he knows that the performances are the focus here and he stands back and shoots things so that you are drawn in. Go to Full Review
Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site 02/28/2021
There is not much in Behind the Candelabra that explains Liberace's immense appeal to wide sections of the population, including Soderbergh himself. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Victoria W @Misstechie Jul 8 This movie is mind blowing! The acting in this movie, along with the story keeps me engaged the entire time. I don’t know what it is, but the Liberace and Scott relationship was defiantly unique. I feel that’s what keeps people engaged. See more Carol S @RT48856984 Jun 11 I enjoyed this movie. The acting was very good. I remember growing up watching The Great Liberace as my mother, and most mother’s, adored him. Very realistic performances for those who remember him. It was s so worth it to see Rob Lowe’s hilarious transformation. But Michael Douglas and Matt Damon knocked it out of the park. Bravo! See more Gareth v @geewah 07/10/2025 Despite it's flaws, this biopic is held together by 2 fantastic (and surprising) performances from it's leads. See more Tyler S @tylerking24 03/27/2024 Solid watch, nothing crazy but nothing bad. Something about the ending felt anticlimactic. I think Michael Douglas did really well in his portrayal as well. See more Test T @TestTest1 03/27/2024 I watched this on DVD recently. I did not know much about Liberace, except that he was a successful pianist. This biopic attempts to fill in the back story, but in some ways I think I was better off not knowing. The film contains much more homosexuality than anything else, which seems a little one dimensional. Was Liberace really like this, or is it being exaggerated for cinematic spectacle? Either way, it's not exactly wholesome family entertainment, and I did not like most of the film for this reason. I checked on Wikipedia, which gives a more rounded account of Liberace's life. See more Everardo C @Everardo1996 02/02/2024 Una película impresionante, que sin desviarse del tema no se enfoca tanto en la controversia que rodeo a liberace y se enfoca más en mostrar los matices del amor See more Read all reviews
Behind the Candelabra

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Movie Info

Synopsis World-famous pianist Liberace (Michael Douglas) takes much-younger Scott Thorson (Matt Damon) as a lover, but the relationship deteriorates when Liberace takes other bedmates and Thorson becomes addicted to drugs.
Director
Steven Soderbergh
Producer
Gregory Jacobs, Susan Ekins, Michael Polaire
Screenwriter
Richard LaGravenese
Production Co
HBO Films, Jerry Weintraub Productions
Rating
TV-MA (S|L)
Genre
Drama, Biography, Romance, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Runtime
1h 58m