Diary of a Nymphomaniac (2008)

After watching Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac years ago, a movie website (I don't recall which one) suggested I'd watch Diary of a Nymphomaniac (Diario de una ninfómana). And here am I, almost 3 years later, writing about a movie that was nothing like von Trier's movie.

Val (Belén Fabra) is a young woman with an insatiable sexual appetite meaning she has sex with every single man she meets and she just can't get enough. Her whole world revolves around sex basically. Then one day she meets Jaime (Leonardo Sbaraglia) and she falls in love. The relationship is far from being perfect and it eventually leads Val on a very dark path. 

It does sound interesting, right? I mean, there are all the elements to make a thought-provoking film about relationships, love and sex showing how hard it is for a woman to be a sex addict. Instead, this is a bland and boring film with no personality. Initially, it goes absolutely nowhere, and when it finally picks up and decides what it wants to be, the story has already been ruined by the first half an hour or so to engage you or make you care about the character. 

Also, there isn't much of a story here, there's only a poor excuse to put a lot of sex scenes together in the same movie. Moreover, they are unwatchable, not because they make you uncomfortable, but because they are dull and lifeless. And there's a lot of them which means a huge waste of time. If I only had the bright idea to fast-forward them, I would have saved some time.

Megavision

If Diary of a Nymphomaniac lacks personality/erotic charge (is that even a thing?) part of the blame is on Belén Fabra. She hasn't the typical sensual body, she looks like a boy, to be honest, but that's not the problem. Charlotte Gainsbourg has the same physique and yet she was great in Nymphoniac. The problem is that she isn't sexy, she lacks that something required by this kind of role. Her overall performance isn't that bad though.

Another problem with this is the supporting cast. Nobody here is able to provide not good and not even decent support. Leonardo Sbaraglia's performance as Jaime is laughable Geraldine Chaplin's as Val's grandmother is weak, to say the least.

I haven't read Valerie Tasso's novel upon which this film is based on but I do really hope it's better than this movie. I'd feel very sorry for Tasso otherwise since this is pretty much an account of her life.