Parents' Guide to

Voyeur

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Offbeat, mature docu has lots of sex, language.

Movie NR 2017 95 minutes
Voyeur Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Voyeur Movie: Gay Talese
  • Voyeur Movie: Manor House Motel
  • Voyeur Movie: Walking outside Manor House Motel
  • Voyeur Movie: Foos & Talese

Community Reviews

See all
age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

julesmcbeans
julesmcbeans Adult
February 1, 2020
age 18+

Icky

Not sure why anyone would want their kids to watch this, as there is no inherent value to it. Doc about a guy who buys a motel just so he can watch people...you know. So this guy contacts a famous journalist/author to tell his story. Then after 30 years of friendship he finally writes his book and finds out the voyeur has not been exactly truthful. Left me feeling grossed out.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Initially, VOYEUR spotlights Gerald Foos, the longtime owner of the Manor House Motel in Aurora, Colorado, as he proudly describes himself as a "researcher" with reams of valuable written notes. His "research" was conducted by installing an observation platform in the roof of his motel in the late 1960s and watching his unsuspecting guests. Foos approaches notable journalist Gay Talese in 1980, telling the writer that he doesn't want to die leaving all he discovered lost forever. As he describes it, "think sexual circus every night of the week." Talese encourages him, keenly aware of the story's possibilities. The two work together through publication of a New Yorker article and a published book in 2016. Talese and Foos seem on the verge of chart-busting success. However, after a series of bizarre discoveries and setbacks, they find themselves embroiled in controversy, chaos, and anger.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

Filled with surprises, twists, and a discerning look at the growing needs and desperation of its two subjects, the film is a fascinating character study appropriate only for mature audiences. Talese, a journalist of some celebrity and repute, is looking for the next "big thing" when he's tagged by Foos, a man whose appetites and exaggerations know no bounds. In Voyeur, Talese invests; Foos doesn't disappoint. At least, not for 30 years. Kane and Koury must have thought themselves the two luckiest filmmakers alive as their second full-length documentary effort went in directions they never could have anticipated. Voyeur is one of those outrageous movies you can't stop watching. It's an intriguing look at a bizarre outpost on the American frontier -- 20th century Colorado-style.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the fact that documentaries are meant to entertain, inform, inspire, and/or persuade. Which category(s) would best describe Voyeur? How do you and your family make the decision to watch a documentary?

  • Did you notice the similarities between the two subjects of this movie, Gay Talese and Gerald Foos? Which scenes point out those similarities (e.g., their highly organized research offices)? Do you think the filmmakers were specifically trying to show that connection?

  • Fact-checking is an important element of publication in any medium. What did you learn about fact-checking in this film? Was Talese a "responsible" fact-checker, or did he rely on the publishers to do his work?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate