The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Fund us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Cannes
      • Sundance London
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS


London Film Festival 2015

ChemSex

London Film Festival 2015: ChemSex | Review
13 October 2015
Joseph Fraser
Avatar
Joseph Fraser
13 October 2015
Public screenings
16th October 2015 6.30pm at Hackney Picturehouse
17th October 2015 6.30pm at Vue West End

Movie and show review

Joseph Fraser

ChemSex

★★★★★

Release date

4th December 2015

Certificate

UPG121518 title=

Links

TwitterFacebookWebsite

Special event

Shot through a variety of aspect ratios and media, including home video recorders, Chemsex delivers an intense and graphic insight into the world of drug-fuelled sex in the gay community. As the documentary jumps between its many interviewees it unflinchingly delves into their different backgrounds nevertheless focusing on their disturbing joint experience of this dangerous sub-scene.

Whilst the film’s subject matter does expand, with an insight into health clinics and recreational saunas, it never forgets that the people and their encounters with this world are the most important and emotional element. Close-up shots of heroin-filled needles jammed into bulging veins and uncontrollable, narcotic-heavy sex scenes at times make the viewer feel nauseated. This is not at all to the film’s detriment, it highlights the attraction and addiction that many homosexual men feel towards this lifestyle, but also manages to accentuate its dangers through stories of chronic sexually transmitted diseases and death.

“Some wish that they would get HIV so that more people will have sex with them and not feel threatened by the guilt of infecting another”. Lines like this only give a small insight into the shocking attitudes displayed but the film’s disturbing, and almost terrifying, tone is truly excellent.

The horror of the situation is amplified through the ominous drone music accompanying the barely lit nightclub sequences, explicit S&M images and scenes with hardcore drug use. The audience feels uncomfortable viewing these events and the one-on-one interviews with those still heavily addicted only add to that. One particular interviewee feels like an almost stereotypical depiction of a drug-addict, with wide unblinking eyes and constant paranoia about people walking in and checking on his heroin usage. But this is definitely no parody, this is a seriously ill individual who acknowledges his disease but truly believes there is no salvation for him.

Problems with the pacing are apparent, with fade-outs used extensively for filler. The camera focuses very heavily on subjects on busy streets, totally blurring out the background, and the multiple internal shots of apartments and dark, dimly lit nightclubs can make the viewer feel unnecessarily claustrophobic. However, this method is very effective at times and shocks the audience but also makes them aware of this underground world, while really bringing it to life.

  Joseph Fraser

★★★★★

Chemsex is released is key cities on 4th December 2015.

For further information about the 59th London Film Festival visit here, and for more of our coverage visit here.

Related Itemsreview

More in Film festivals

Sherlock Gnomes premiere: A chat with James McAvoy, his co-stars and the film’s creators

Rosamund Kelby
Read More

Tribeca Film Festival 2018: On the red carpet with the stars of Westworld season 2

The editorial unit
Read More

Ravenous (Les Affamés)

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

All the Wild Horses

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Los Débiles (The Weak Ones)

★★★★★
Mark Mukasa
Read More

SPK Komplex

★★★★★
Catherine Sedgwick
Read More

The Silent Revolution: An interview with Lena Klenke and Tom Gramenz

Oliver Johnston
Read More

The Silent Revolution: An interview with director Lars Kraume

Oliver Johnston
Read More

The Camino Voyage

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Joseph Fraser

ChemSex

★★★★★

Release date

4th December 2015

Certificate

UPG121518 title=

Links

TwitterFacebookWebsite

Special event

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Project Gastronomía: How will Londoners eat in 2050? A symposium on gastronomy and multisensory design
    Food & Drinks
  • Bat Out of Hell at the Dominion Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Clare Smyth crowned the World’s Best Female Chef 2018
    Food & Drinks
  • Tribeca Film Festival 2018: On the red carpet with the stars of Westworld season 2
    Cinema
  • Tokio Myers at the Forum
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Wound (Inxeba)
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Clare Smyth crowned the World’s Best Female Chef 2018
    Food & Drinks
  • Strictly Ballroom at Piccadilly Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Writer at the Almeida Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Avengers: Infinity War
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Wound (Inxeba)
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Strictly Ballroom at Piccadilly Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Writer at the Almeida Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Avengers: Infinity War
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Sherlock Gnomes premiere: A chat with James McAvoy, his co-stars and the film’s creators
    Cinema

Instagram

Something is wrong. Response takes too long or there is JS error. Press Ctrl+Shift+J or Cmd+Shift+J on a Mac.
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Fund us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • New London restaurant openings and pop-ups
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Subscribe
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

London Film Festival 2015: The Wave | Review
London Film Festival 2015: I Am Belfast | Review