This important piece of journalism contains spoilers for Chloe (2009) and the Chloe sex scene.
Sometimes after a long day at the office (writing about movies from my home), I like to unwind (get high and watch more movies from my home). My go-to comfort movies to watch stoned aren’t favorites I’ve seen again and again — my favorites tend to be very emotional for me!! — instead I like watching bad movies with great actors.
This can often be part of a short-term or long-running project. I famously watched every Elliot Page movie. I’ve also watched every or almost every Nicole Kidman and Sanaa Lathan movie. I’ve also had more casual on-going projects to eventually watch every Anne Hathaway movie and every Denzel Washington movie. And sometimes I just notice a movie with bad reviews starring people I like and decide to give it a go. I’m fascinated by movie stardom and the power that certain actors have, due to both talent and charisma, to make even the worst dreck watchable. And, with enough drugs, sometimes the worst dreck is what I want.
Still buzzing around my brain due to last year’s remarkable May December, Julianne Moore has started to be a fave I return to more in these moments. And that’s what led me to finally watch Atom Egoyan’s 2009 film Chloe.
Everyone seemed to agree this movie was bad. But it had still been on my to-watch list for years, because of a hinted lesbian kiss in the trailer. Also the plot seemed like a delicious throwback to erotic thrillers of the past! Julianne Moore hires a sex worker to seduce her husband to prove he cheats on her, but then the sex worker becomes intertwined with their lives in ways that are irreversible? That has to be a little fun, right?
Well, not really.
This movie is bad. Bad bad bad. But there is one good thing about it. Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfriend don’t just kiss. They have a full-on sex scene!!
As stated previously, I was quite high, so my memory of the movie other than this scene is minimal at best. But I’ve just read the Wikipedia plot synopsis and will now give you some context. So basically after Catherine (Julianne Moore) hires Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce David (Liam Neeson), Chloe starts describing their encounters to Catherine which turns her on. This leads to them kissing which leads to Catherine running away which leads to David smelling Chloe on Catherine which leads to Catherine returning to Chloe for sympathy which leads to them having sex.
It’s a testament to how bad this movie is that nobody informed me of the sex scene. It’s not even that the sex scene is that good. (If you want deep dives of some truly worthy sex scenes, check out our Anatomy of a Queer Sex Scene series.) It’s just that I pride myself on seeking out every lesbian movie and this DEFINITELY COUNTS.
I assumed everyone else already knew about this and I was just late to the party. But then I started telling people and was met with similar shock. So now here I am, as a journalist, making sure you know about the Chloe sex scene.
Other than its quality, I’m not sure why this movie has faded from the collective lesbian imagination. Maybe 2009 was just a tad too late for a movie like this to enter the discussion alongside notable favorites like Wild Things (1998) and Cruel Intentions (1999). Or maybe this just doesn’t have the charm of those films.
It does sure have some classic lesbian/bi-panic problematic twists though! Turns out Chloe was not hooking up with David. She was lying to Catherine to seduce her. And now she’s in love with Catherine and determined to ruin her life even after David forgives her for cheating. So what does Chloe do? Well, she has sex with Catherine and David’s son, of course. This leads to an altercation between Catharine and Chloe that sends Chloe flying out the window to her death.
Fear not. With the queer woman vanquished, Catherine, David, and their son are able to return to hetero bliss.
The end.
I’m not recommending this movie — although it definitely did the trick of “bad movie with good actor to watch high.” But I do think whether or not a movie is good, a lesbian sex scene with specific lesbian sex acts explicitly shown does demand entry into the lesbian film canon.
And, hey, if you want to see Julianne Moore play gay in something that doesn’t suck — or, at least, sucks less — you can always watch Psycho (1998), The Hours, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, The Kids Are All Right, Maps to the Stars, and the upcoming series Mary & George. (Sorry, Freeheld sucks more than Chloe.) By my count, that’s eight total queer roles!
Wow, Julianne. Thank you for putting your mouth where your allyship is. And, of course, for being a brilliant legend who frequently works with queer filmmakers even when playing straight.
Chloe is now streaming on Paramount+. The Chloe sex scene begins at 57:55.
But did you know that “Chloe” (2009) is actually a remake of “Nathalie…” (2003) in which the lovers in question (sans sex scene) are Fanny Ardant and Emmanuelle Béart?
I did not !! Is that movie better??
Last saw it two our so years Chloe came out (omg I was so young!!), and in my memory I liked it better than Chloe. Definitely think it’s worth the watch, if just for the actors and the seedy erotic thriller vibe.
This movie was so unhinged. But I totally bought the DVD. 🤷‍♂️ I can probably blame it for my dark romance obsession that continues to this day…
Amanda Seyfried and Julianne Moore’s clothes are worth the watch, imo. I tried to find Chloe (Amanda Seyfrieds) Anthropologie coat on Ebay for a good couple of years.
I think I may be one of a few gays who disliked, The Kids are Alright. Meh.
Thanks for your service giving the people what they want! Semi jokingly: does her implied throuple (or at least threesome) with Alec Baldwin and Salma Hayek at the end of 30 Rock count as yet another queer role?
There’s a restaurant in my neighbourhood that was used as a location in this movie, and every time I walk by I’m met with a framed theatrical poster hung proudly on their wall reminding me of the one and only time I watched it in my teens (a wild early exposure to queer film to say the least)
This was hilarious to read thanks Drew
I loved this movie when I went to see it in the cinema as a high schooler. Scenes from the movie are still imprinted on my brain (and not the sex scene! I mean the artistic shots of thrilling interpersonal drama, and Amanda Seyfried being extremely pretty). Is it really that bad of a film? Do I just remember it fondly because I was too young to properly judge it against other films? I’m questioning my whole life here
I saw it in the theater when it came out, and rewatched it on DVD with the director’s commentary. I also think it’s a pretty good film, and a film critic I always respected, Roger Ebert, gave it an excellent review too. (I still miss his thoughtful reviews.)
Atom Egoyan – the director – doesn’t click for everyone. That’s one factor. But also, it seems like Drew went into this with a pre-existing mentality of “this is a bad film” and, as she said, was high watching it. So high that she couldn’t even remember anything afterwards and had to rely on a Wiki summary to even tell readers anything about the plot of the film. Pretty much all of the subtleties of the characters and character interactions whooshed over her head. Some movies are fine to watch while high, but this isn’t really one of them.