'Kinsey' biopic measures up

Last year there was a downpour of biopics ranging from Howard Hughes to Ray Charles to J.M. Barrie and countless others. The best part about these biopics, though, was that they were all worth watching and "Kinsey," the biopic of IU's own sex researcher Alfred C. Kinsey, is no exception. In fact, it was easily one of the best films of the year.\nTaking the proper biopic route, the film starts off during Kinsey's (Liam Neeson) childhood years so that you are given an understanding of the Puritanical upbringing he was forced to endure until it was time to head to college. Instead of following his father's (John Lithgow) wishes, Kinsey decided to follow a path rooted in biology. Skip ahead a few years and we find Kinsey teaching at IU while continuing his fascination with gall wasps. It is at IU that he meets Clara McMillen (Laura Linney) who takes great interest in not only Kinsey's gall wasp collection but Kinsey himself. Soon enough the two are married and thus begins the trip into human sexuality that Kinsey is so famous for today.\nWhile this might seem rather bold, I cannot find any problems with "Kinsey" as a whole. All of the acting performances are top-notch, especially Neeson's which is only bested by his Oscar-nominated role in "Schindler's List." Linney, who did earn an Oscar nod for her performance, has a wonderful emotional range and doesn't hide it one bit. The additional performances by the likes of Peter Sarsgaard, Timothy Hutton and Chris O'Donnell, all playing the role of Kinsey's research assistants, each get enough screen time to turn in worthwhile performances. And while John Lithgow is only in a handful of scenes, his usual comedic value is nonexistent as he turns in one incredibly serious performance. All this fine acting is thanks to director Bill Condon's wonderful ability to write fine-tuned screenplays and bring out the best in his cast. \nThere are two different versions of the "Kinsey" DVD and you would be missing out if you picked up the single-disc which only contains a commentary track with Condon. The two-disc set, which includes the same commentary, is also host to special features that are all worth viewing. There are 20 deleted scenes, some which should've remained in the film while others deserved to be cut, and also Condon's original ending which is good but nowhere near as moving as the one he ended up using. The gag reel is also quite humorous. \nThe real gold in this set are the supplements dealing with the production and Kinsey Institute. The documentary, "The Kinsey Report: Sex on Film," is great look at how long it took to create the film from the earliest pre-production stages and ultimately ending with the "Kinsey" premiere hosted at IU Auditorium last November. There is also a short featurette, "Sex Ed. at The Kinsey Institute," which is a small tour of some artifacts on display in the institute's museum. Finally, there is an "Interactive Sex Questionnaire" similar to the reoccurring one in the film.\nIf for whatever reason you missed one of the many opportunities to see this film while on campus at IU, do yourself a favor and check it out. In the constantly growing sea of biopics, "Kinsey" easily takes a spot near the top for being one of the finest.