This is a film biography about Alfred Kinsey, an entomologist from Indiana University who decided to study human sexual behavior after discovering there was very little scholarly research on the subject. Given that this happened in the 1940s, sex was rarely discussed and general assumptions about what was "normal" or acceptable behavior turned out to be very different than what was actually taking place. Kinsey conducted numerous candid interviews with a wide variety of people from all walks of life to find the truth about sex practices in America. The two resulting books, "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male" and "Sexual Behavior in the Human Female," created an uproar in the then-conservative society.
In today's society, which no topic seems to be off limits and the evening news contains content that might not be appropriate for children, it's hard to imagine a time when there were inhibitions and boundaries for what was acceptable. That is part of what makes this film so interesting. People were very naive about their own biology and general consensus was that pre-marital sex, same-sex contacts, and masturbation were dangerous and perverted. Kinsey's research conflicted with conventional thinking and created a more enlightened country by at least sparking conversation about a taboo subject. This film also pushes the boundaries by showing images and touching on topics that are controversial even today. While this wasn't the best movie I have seen, it certainly sparked my interest in reading more about the life of Alfred Kinsey.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Chris O'Donnell, John Lithgow, Peter Sarsgaard
I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.
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