Auto Focus

Bob Crane (Kinnear) had everything. He had a wife and family who supported and adored him, he was the star of prime time hit TV show "Hogan's Heroes" and he had no money worries what to ever. This all changed when Bob met video specialist John Carpenter (Defoe). Carpenter introduced him to the very liberal 1960s, a time of drink, drugs, pornography and an awful lot of sex

Greg Kinnear gives a career defining performance as sex addict Bob Crane, in a movie that is both funny and moving at the same time.

Kinnear is superb as Crane, a man who thinks he is doing nothing wrong as he sleeps his way through the Hollywood scene while his wife and kids are at home. He captures his child-like innocence brilliantly as Crane just can't see what is wrong with frequenting strip joints, having sex with numerous women and video taping them without consent while you are in the public eye. Willem Defoe gives an excellent performance as John Carpenter, the man who introduces Crane to the scene and then rides his celebrity coattails to get some action of his own. Defoe, proving again what a great character actor he is, captures Carpenter's complete need for Crane and the jealousy of his fame brilliantly.

There is also good support from Maria Bello and Rita Wilson as Bob's long-suffering wives, both of who can't cope with his philandering and his obsession with pornography. The script by Michael Gerbosi, based on the book by Robert Graysmith, is touching and extremely funny in parts. Bob's speech about how much he loves breasts is hilarious. Paul Schrader's direction is also top notch as he utilises different film techniques to show Bob Crane's career. The movie starts off bright and cheerful and slowly degrades in quality and colour as Bob's career and personal life start to take a nosedive.

Auto Focus is an interesting, funny and moving look into the world of celebrity. Even if you don't know who Bob Crane is you can still relate to his life and equate it to more modern celebrity sex addicts. Even in a time that was a lot more liberal than today, Crane's action could still be the end of a career and cause a media circus. Anyone who lives he life by the adage "A day without sex is a day wasted" has to be worth finding out more about.

Audio commentary from director Paul Schrader, Audio commentary from actors Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe, Audio commentary from producers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski with writer Michael Gerbosi, Deleted scenes with optional audio commentary, 'Murder In Scotsdale' documentary (50 minutes), 'Making Of' featurette, Web link, Promotional trailers, Interactive menu & Scene access

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2003