On the whole, Kinsey (on the life of biologist and sex researcher, Dr. Alfred Kinsey) is an enjoyable and well-made film. It is surely likely to be nominated for a few Academy Awards, especially since it meets the "late in the year" and "big biography" (with a period drama, life affirming disability, or other special feature bonus) requirements.
I think one can fairly criticize this or that aspect of it (e.g., Laura Linney as his wife has a somewhat underwritten role; Oliver Platt is an interesting if not totally fitting choice as college chairman), but what are especially notable about the movie are various features that stand out. These would make even inferior movies worth watching, thus makes Kinsey that much more worthwhile.
The movie begins with a well put together set of vignettes that give us a flavor of Kinsey's childhood. The individual scenes are powerful in their own right, but as a whole, they are a feat of biographical storytelling. It also does a great job in getting the viewer into the movie, which is not just about sex studies. The use of black and white in various cases also supplies a nice touch. Also, various scenes during the movie, including one in a gay bar, not only further the story, but also are well crafted overall. The final scene, though some might not totally like it, also is refreshing.
Of course, a movie about a sex researcher (if one who studied insects for much of his life) is largely concerned about sexual matters. And, given its subject, the fact that it breaks the usual rules found in movies is not too surprising. For instance, American movies nearly never show full frontal male nudity (nor women either, but given the usual shots of breasts, the net result is an imbalance), which is not the case here.
In fact, there is a run of the mill sex scene in which the male, not the female, is shown fully nude. The symbolism of just these few scenes alone is telling. Also, the movie plays with our assumptions about sex, including the sorts of women who have the highest sexual reactions. And, in part because of the bisexuality of its subject, the film has some refreshingly open scenes involving such matters.
The viewer is left thinking that we still are quite a far means away from the ideal Dr. Kinsey hoped to promote. For instance, Dr. Kinsey provided sexual counseling to couples at his college. We get a hint at why he is so concerned about doing so when shown the difficulties of his wedding night (c. 1920 ... both were virgins). It is interesting and somewhat amazing given the dominance of sex in our cinema and television programming that the trials and tribulations of the process is so rarely truly handled.
Oh, it is often a subject of humor and all, but usually the typical romantic storyline had the couple at some point going to bed together with little comment ... it all goes ever so smoothly, though their might be romantic complications later on. This is so even when teenagers are concerned, though things have improved on the page (for quite some time, teen fiction often provided some realistic portrayals of all things teen) and screen.*
Not only is this a rather dramatically lacking portrayal of the matter (though I guess it is hard enough for some actors to simulate sexual activity; making it truly realistic might be asking too much of them), it promotes a mistaken message of the reality of the situation. It is unfortunate that Dr. Kinsey would still probably have to teach the course shown in the movie, since sexual education in our schools (and overall, for parents who feel it has not place in the classroom) is still often at a woefully undeveloped state in this country. It is even more so that a matter that Dr. Kinsey (and human experience) tells us is so complex and intricate, so dramatically full of potential, is so often stereotypically portrayed.
The movie resists this to a certain degree, which is one more reason why it is well worth watching.
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* How television handles teenage sexuality has improved, but still is somewhat mixed. Gilmore Girls treated the sexual initiations of two of its characters rather shabbily, especially the embarrassment Paris was put through, but also the quickly unspoken nature of Rory's sexual activities (no change in status to town good girl for breaking up a marriage ... no talk at all). OTOH, the less well-known show Grounded For Life did examine in some detail the planning and unexpected results of the daughter's decision to lose her virginity at sixteen.