Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
Offbeat, mature docu has lots of sex, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Voyeur
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?
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
- In theaters : October 4, 2017
- On DVD or streaming : December 1, 2017
- Cast : Gay Talese , Gerald Foos , Anita Foos
- Directors : Myles Kane , Josh Koury
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2022
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