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American Swing

Play trailer Poster for American Swing Released Mar 27, 2009 1h 21m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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55% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 48% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
In 1970s New York, clothing-optional nightclub Plato's Retreat becomes a haven for swingers and individuals who cared to indulge in public sexual excess.
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Critics Consensus

While American Swing covers a fascinating subject, its amateur documentary treatment does it no favors.

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Critics Reviews

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David Fear Time Out Rated: 2/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review Robert Abele Los Angeles Times The film treats Levenson's rapid descent as if someone had turned on the lights at a sex party: scurrying away with pity and irritation that the good times had to end. Rated: 3/5 Apr 3, 2009 Full Review Lou Lumenick New York Post American Swing doesn't have a particularly well-defined point of view, but it is a succinct, entertaining and valuable record of a time that in some ways now seems as remote as the Roaring '20s. Rated: 3/4 Mar 27, 2009 Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row There are lots of interesting tidbits here, but I can't help but feel that the real meat of the story has yet to be explored. Rated: 2.5/4 Jul 7, 2019 Full Review Cynthia Fuchs PopMatters Certainly, the sex was exciting, as well as controversial. But Plato's Retreat also represented an effort to think through the mores behind monogamy, to challenge assumptions and imagine an alternative. Rated: 6/10 Apr 7, 2009 Full Review Kam Williams NewsBlaze A scary reminder of the potentially-disastrous physical and emotional consequences of indiscriminate mating. Rated: 3.5/4 Apr 6, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Max M Series of interviews with former swingers. Sad decline and early death of swing-club owner. Briefly mentions that AIDS likely spelled the end of that era, and mentions how his wife enthusiastically supported him but later fell out of love and had a breakdown; we aren't told what later became of her. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Not Something That Completely Interested Me. A Fast-Paced Doco Exploring A Subject Where Your Imagination Can Pretty Much Fill The Gaps (Unintentional Pun There). Nothing Really Else Surprising Other Than The Bizarre List Of Celebrities Caught Up In Taboo, 70s-Disco & Smutty Kink For Hedonistic Immature "Adults".. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member I found it interesting. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Candid and interesting look at the '70s swinger lifestyle in New York (particularly surrounding this one club), but a broader, more comprehensive look is begged for here, some grander statement about sexual mores, because this documentary only skirts the edge of the truly interesting commentary on the times in favor of a narrower focus on one dude. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Worth it simply to watch Buck Henry complain about the free buffet at the sex club. It is time for the second coming of Buck Henry! Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Batter, batter, batter!!! Swing batter!!!!!! Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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American Swing

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1970s New York, clothing-optional nightclub Plato's Retreat becomes a haven for swingers and individuals who cared to indulge in public sexual excess.
Director
Jon Hart, Matthew Kaufman
Producer
Christian Hoagland, Matthew Kaufman, Gretchen McGowan
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
HDNet Films
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 27, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 2, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$28.6K
Runtime
1h 21m
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