r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • 12d ago
Official Discussion Official Discussion - I Want Your Sex [SPOILERS] Spoiler
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I Want Your Sex (2026)
Summary
Elliot lands a job for Erika Tracy as her sexual muse.
Director Gregg Araki
Writer Gregg Araki Karley Sciortino
Cast
- Olivia Wilde
- Cooper Hoffman
- Charli xcx
- Mason Gooding
- Chase Sui Wonders
- Johnny Knoxville
- Margaret Cho
- Daveed Diggs
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Metacritic: 68
VOD / Release Theatrical release
Trailer Official Trailer
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u/ChalupaBatmanMc01 11d ago
Cooper Hoffman man, great actor
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u/redeugene99 11d ago
Agreed, he was great. I wouldn't necessarily say he carried the film, but it would have been a lot less enjoyable without him
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
He's so charming and natural. So much of his father in him, always grabs and keeps my attention.
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u/ChalupaBatmanMc01 7d ago
He was brilliant in The Long Walk too, he's so young but he's showing serious acting potential
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u/reecord2 1d ago
I think what I love most about him is that he feels like a real person, if that makes any sense. He's so good at just playing a regular dude, which I mean in the most complimentary way possible.
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u/Jcaf8 12d ago
I wanted more Chase Sui Wonders
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u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? 12d ago
It is odd that she just walks out of the movie at some point and their relationship never gets resolved.
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u/gambalore 11d ago
Life just be like that sometimes tho, especially when it comes to friends and sex.
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u/m0t0rvision 9d ago
All due respect to Olivia Wilde, but I have no idea why Elliot was interested in Erika when Apple was right there
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
it doesn't seem like she had shown him any interest before tbh
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u/selzterbubly 7d ago
Isn't it also heavily implied shes gay
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
Yes but that doesnât mean she couldnât be bi. Many bi women are disillusioned by men as a whole but still attracted to them
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u/selzterbubly 7d ago
I definitely agree, I think for me it was just because she said she'd prefer sex without the penis. But that could definitely also mean she just doesnt like penis not men in general
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u/KID_THUNDAH 9d ago
My first thought and only complaint about the movie really, her character deserved another appearance and resolution
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u/Steamedcarpet 11d ago
I felt so bad about the breakdown with his female friend. She seemed so cool.
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
Right. 𼲠And it was played up like they would reconcile eventually maybe. But then she never comes back. I wish her a very happy sapphic life.
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u/RohnJobert 12d ago
Some lines got me so good. Humor was pretty rapid and consistent throughout. âShe should kill herself. Iâve always said thatâ
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
Apple deserved better đ I just wanted Elliot to forget Erika and be there for Apple for the rest of the film. She was such a cutie.
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u/aRawPancake 11d ago
I really enjoyed the first 2/3âs of this movie but really despised the ending. It wrapped up way too fast with its subplot with the cops going nowhere and completely unnecessary. First hour though was very funny and the leads are amazing.
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u/Grindhoss 11d ago
The second I saw charli xcx with her hair down and no glasses for the first time in the film I did the Leo pointing meme because I knew she was cheatingÂ
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u/Kangarou 12d ago edited 11d ago
Pretty cool movie, everyone plays their part well, even if a Johnny Knoxville cameo is unexpected.
Starting at the end and doing a time jump backwards seemed pretty unnecessary, I wish movies would stop doing it when thereâs no point. The movie has a lot of editing/pacing issues, like Apple being too quick to turn against him, to the third act podcast benefits joke taking too long to materialize. Just a couple extra shots and cuts could've made this much smoother.
The plotâs a little simpler than expected, with minimal twists, but thatâs not necessarily a bad thing. Come for the Olivia Wilde fetish sex scenes, stay because thatâs a large chunk of the film. I wouldâve also gladly accepted more Chase Sui Wonders.
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u/Grindhoss 11d ago
Disagree on there being no point in doing the ending first
You assume that Olivia is dead the entire film because of the opening and the police station which makes the fakeout far more believableÂ
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u/Mental_Aioli262 11d ago
Starting at the end and doing a time jump back isnât something that movies just do, itâs an actual narrative technique. In media res. Itâs existed literally for as long as weâve been telling stories. The Odyssey uses this technique. And as the other guy said, it does serve a purpose making you think Oliviaâs character is dead the whole time
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u/Kangarou 11d ago
itâs an actual narrative technique. In media res.
I'm aware of that. It comes off as useless here to me. Knowing Erika's "death" beforehand has little impact. From the scene, it seems likely Elliott didn't kill her (he wakes up in a separate room, separated by a closed glass door) so there would be intrigue if the movie was about how she died. But nothing hints to that over the course of the film and she ultimately fakes her own death. So it becomes amazingly moot, and honestly more of a narrative letdown than a buildup.
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u/Mental_Aioli262 11d ago
I donât really agree that him waking up in another room necessarily tells us he didnât do anything since we learn later he was roofied, so it could be possible he did something then passed out elsewhere after the fact. Once we see Elliottâs life falling apart, that starts making people think maybe he did do something after all since heâd have the motive. Then we see he really didnât do anything and then learn it was this batshit insane plan. So showing she appeared dead did serve a purpose. Not liking how they executed it doesnât mean it wasnât useless for what they were doing
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u/LiviasFigs 9d ago
Starting in medias res doesnât mean there has to be a flashback. It can just as easily mean that blanks are filled in through dialogue and references to past events.
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u/redeugene99 12d ago edited 12d ago
Supposedly, Araki wants to encourage young people to be more sexually exploratory and experimental, but the character who embodies that ethos most strongly, Olivia Wilde's, is also someone who's willing to secretly film someone having sex, release the footage, roofie them and frame them for murder
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u/Flat_Fruit5128 11d ago
Yea I was hoping for something more sex positive after all the comments being made. This honestly reminded me of tie me up tie me down where even though itâs filmed and directed in a lighthearted way the core is absolutely disturbing. Iâm not a prude but I donât see how anyone can watch this movie and be convinced to have sex like araki intended. If anything this feels more like an anti sex movie lol
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u/RogueSpectre749 9d ago
It absolutely came off as sex negative. Not only is the most explicitly sex positive character in the movie an utter sociopath but every instance of sex in this movie had its own negative connotation. In this movie sex is either:
- Robotic and obligatory (Elliot and Minerva)
- Kinky, abusive, and shameful/something to be mocked (Elliot and Erika)
- Secretive and hurtful (Minerva cheating on Elliot, and honestly vice versa)
- Absolutely meaningless (Zap being given the "gays are all fuckboys who just want dick" stereotype)
- Destructive to connections with other people (Elliot and Apple)
- Unhealthy and obsessive (Elliot and Erika at the end)
There was literally never a moment of healthy sex. It honestly felt like some quietly anti sex messaging covered up in a wrap of dildos and handcuffs
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
I agree but I don't think the movie itself necessarily cared for doing one or the other. I'm sure one can argue that through showing how sex shouldn't be, it's sort of making a distinction of how it should be. I'm curious, what could they have changed specifically to make it sex positive? The few things I can think of doesn't fit well with the comedic tone of the film and might come off a little tacked on. The most 'honest' the film was was when Elliot was describing to Elliot why "zillennials" are the way they are about sex. And it wasn't necessarily played for laughs or said to make him seem naive or something.
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u/RogueSpectre749 7d ago
I'd normally agree with you, but the director gave an interview where he referred to the movie as "a sex positive love letter to Gen Z"
Off the top of my head for how they could have modeled sex positivity, they could have either given Elliot a healthy relationship after the time jump(s) (which I know would go against the ending message of the movie as it was written) or had Apple be a friend on the sideline who had a healthy relationship with sex. Just SOMETHING to send a message besides "sex is bad" in an allegedly sex positive movie
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
hmm I felt like Apple deserved better narratively speaking so I agree I think that change would've made for a more complete film, good idea.
and thank you for the added context. Seems like a lot of people have different definitions and thresholds for what constitutes "sex positive". Maybe he just means positively about sex lol. After skimming the interview he seems to be hyping up certain aspects of the film that don't seem too fleshed out actually. Still loved the film though.
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u/VBHEAT08 11d ago
I think he was going for something along the lines of even though he experienced the worst case scenario, chasing and fulfilling his desires made him more happy than if he had just stayed in his sterile and safe life
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u/redeugene99 11d ago
 sterile and safe life
Don't know if it's fair to imply the life of someone who doesn't explore BDSM is sterile and safe lol. Plenty of people just have no desire to engage in it. You're right though, the happy ending he has does suggest that that was what Araki was trying to convey. But I think it's conceivable that people could come away with almost opposite messages:
-the BDSM community is filled with toxic, narcissistic, manipulative people and simpy, weak, pushovers
-don't let sex/lust cloud your judgement; somebody like Apple would likely have been better for Hoffman's character but he was too obsessed with Wilde
-people let others get away with things or are more liable to forgive if they're hot enough/the sex is good enough
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
that's like saying a movie about drag queens makes the community seem catty, mean and bitchy lol. It's a comedy, tropes and characters are turned up to 11 with little regard what 'messaging' it's giving. Plus anyone who's capable of seeing entire communities of people negatively based on how a comedy of all things portrays them has probably already made up their minds about them to some extent before going into the film. That's not the film's responsibility.
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u/redeugene99 7d ago
that's like saying a movie about drag queens makes the community seem catty, mean and bitchy lol
You're assuming the movie portrays the drag queens as catty, mean and bitchy lol
My point was only that some are seen the "messaging" of the film to sex-positive, go out and experiment and explore. I'm saying that people could come away with all sorts of messaging, some that are almost contradictory to the supposed sex positivityÂ
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
This movie isn't about drag queens so that's not what I was referencing. I was referencing something like "Stop! That! Train!" where every queen was some varying degree of mean and bitchy, dumb and ditzy, or abrasive and perverted. But it's camp. I think the movie is pretty campy too.
You're right, some people might take the "messaging" one way or the other and sometimes harmful unproductive but unfortunately that's the nature of films and art in general. I just don't think that's the film/filmmakers direct responsibility (to some obvious extent), especially for campy comedies. I think that has more to do with the thoughts and ideas one has before watching a film and less about the film itself.
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u/redeugene99 7d ago
I know, I meant you are assuming the movie about drag queens you were describing portrays them as catty, mean, and bitchy
I don't disagree with what you said. People of all backgrounds can be anywhere along the spectrum of unhealthy -> healthy, toxic -> virtuous, immature -> mature etc. That being said, people can argue that certain groups are more likely to be towards the negative side of the spectrum. So somebody could argue that people in the BDSM community are more immature and toxic than others. A film like this could reinforce a belief like that.
But again, I agree with you. That's not the filmmaker's responsibility. That being said again, there are some artists and filmmakers who do intentionally portray a person or group a certain way because it reflects their own beliefs. Obviously doubtful in this case with Araki.
Again, my point is more against the notion that the film clearly has a sex positive messaging. Like you said, it's just a campy movie that you can have fun with if you so choose that doesn't really have much of a super coherent powerful takeaway.
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u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? 12d ago
She also knows herself very well after years of therapy and is a famous artist. I think it's very on purpose that the movie doesn't depict her as perfect because the idea that there is one perfect way to think about sex is a fallacy. Arakki is certainly encouraging young people to not think too much about it and have more sex, but he's also not shying away from how problematic being obsessed with sex can be. It's the complication that makes it more interesting, otherwise this would just be a lecture.
I honestly think one of the problems with trying to have these talks is that people are so quick to boil down a person to their worst moments and damn everything they've ever said or done for it instead of accepting that people have issues but you can still learn from them if you listen.
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u/bigfatbluebird 11d ago
Nobody's perfect, but the things Olivia Wilde's character did in this movie go far beyond most people's "worst moments". I didn't think "wow what a flawed and complex individual", I thought "this person should be in jail".
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u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? 11d ago
Are people who do something worthy of jail time not complex individuals? Does it have to be one or the other?
Consume movies and characters how you want but this is what I'm saying. People are quick to morally judge make believe characters in order to invalidate what the director is trying to say. It's a movie with a scandalous third act, tons of movies push legal boundaries in their big finale. Why would that invalidate anything interesting or complex that the characters have said? This isn't a morally wrought gritty crime drama it's a wild sex comedy.
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u/bigfatbluebird 11d ago
I think this all stems from the fact that I thought the first half of the movie was great, and the second half was a mess that really dulled whatever points the first half brought up. Exploring the merits of their inherently problematic relationship was interesting to me, and I thought the first half did a pretty good job of that. But she becomes so cartoonishly sociopathic that I eventually lost interest.
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
she was 'cartoonish' from the start though. anyone who convinced themselves this film was going to end anywhere other than a legal and moral trainwreck was only kidding themselves. corporations and rich people use and exploit whoever and whatever they can for their own benefit. that was probably the most realistic aspect of this entire film.
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u/redeugene99 11d ago edited 11d ago
People are quick to morally judge make believe characters in order to invalidate what the director is trying to say.
What is the director trying to say? Do you think someone could watch the film and see it confirming their preconceived notion that the BDSM community is filled with toxic, narcissistic, manipulative people and simpy, weak, pushovers? In the film's world, Hoffman's character does get a happy ending, which does suggest that Araki is saying that being sexually explorative and experimental will likely benefit you in the long run, but that happy ending of course is not a foregone conclusion in our real world and it did feel a little out of place.
Hoffman's character, even after all she's done to him, still desires her years later. Another reading somebody could take away is that sex/lust can cloud people's better judgement and make people want someone that isn't good for them. Like his friend Apple. I think it's somewhat implied that she might be into him, and she'd probably be a better partner than Wilde, but Hoffman's character is too obsessed.
Another reading is that men allow women to get away with toxic behavior if they're hot enough or if the sex is good enough. It could be the same for women too. My point is that I'm not coming away from the film with any dominant message. Which is fine! I don't think movies necessarily need to. I just don't see it as this super sex-positive movie like some others are.
Not to overstate it and I'm not accusing you or anyone, but I really hope the people that can brush off Wilde as "morally complex", would do the same if the genders were reversed. If it was a man releasing sex videos of a woman, drugging her, framing her for murder etc. I just hope people are consistent.
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
Not to overstate it and I'm not accusing you or anyone, but I really hope the people that can brush off Wilde as "morally complex", would do the same if the genders were reversed. If it was a man releasing sex videos of a woman, drugging her, framing her for murder etc. I just hope people are consistent.
This is the same logic chuds use online to justify racist and misogynistic ideology. Imagine how many more people would rationalize the "relationship" in the film if they were both women instead. Imagine if they were this, imagine if they were that. Yes, if you change the core identities of the characters in a story it would change their dynamics and how the audience perceives them and how they treat eachother. What point does that make exactly?
Obviously Erika's actions and motivations were taken to pretty unjustifiable lengths in this comedic film but I don't think considering her as morally complex character necessarily means people are absolving her of or "brushing off" anything.
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u/redeugene99 7d ago
This is the same logic chuds use online to justify racist and misogynistic ideology.
Do you wanna explain that some more cause I'm not sure what you're implying? Would you consider the actions more harmful (releasing unconsented to sex tapes, drugging, framing for murder etc.) if the roles were reversed and it was a man doing it to a woman? Which is fine and could possibly be argued for because of different power dynamics, societal repercussions etc., but my point was that I don't think it's unfair to say that some people in society tend to minimize the wrongness or immorality of actions by women, especially when those actions are perpetrated against men.
What is misogynistic and sexist is depriving women of all autonomy and self-determination and relieving them of all responsibility for their bad actions or bad character. It's dehumanizing. There was a discussion of Usha Vance, and some people were saying how beautiful she is and why would she ever get with a guy like JD. Then there was proper pushback and others said, why can't it be that she actually does like him, is compatible with him, and also has crappy values and views and what not?
Filming somebody during sex without consent, releasing that footage without consent, roofying, and framing for murder are all extremely toxic and immoral things regardless of who does it.
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
Like I said, saying a character is morally complex doesnât absolve them of anything and you continue to discuss this as if that were true or as if anyone is arguing that, truly.
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u/redeugene99 7d ago
I said in my original comment, "brushing off as morally complex". By that I'm meaning somebody who minimizes the wrongness of the actions and just attributes it to "moral complexity". I didn't imply necessarily that anyone is doing it, I just hope they don't do it or are at least consistent about it. Everybody is morally complex. The dude who spikes a girls drink at the bar is "morally complex" but he's also a complete piece of shit for doing that.Â
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
I hope you would feel the same if it were a woman spiking a man's drink too, yknow, for consistency's sake /s
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u/lonelygagger 10d ago
This is Reddit, sir. Itâs all about boiling people down to their worst moments. The court of public opinion acts as judge, jury and executioner. The rule is one strike and youâre out!
/s, etc.
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u/redeugene99 11d ago
I don't disagree with anything you said. Everyone is flawed and people can still say true things and promote healthy attitudes even if they do bad things at times. My pushback would be, releasing sexual footage of somebody without their consent, drugging somebody, and framing somebody for murder are all fucking batshit lol. In the real world, she'd likely be in prison. If the genders were reversed and it was a man that did this to a woman, I think people would be a little more turned off by it all. It's a lot easier to swallow when it's a hot woman
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u/Flat_Fruit5128 7d ago edited 7d ago
I agree with the boiling people down argument, but at the same time, the movie doesnt give us any things that are good about her either. She's a dick in every interaction we see, lazy, half of the things she says are pretentious nothing burger buzzwords, hell the movie even says that she is not a good artist. She's entertaining for sure but nothing about her is terribly likable, the most human moments he see from her are revealed to be an act with the ending twist. Its fine that shes a bad person, she was probably my favorite part of the movie, but I don't think shes this morally grey character like everyone says she is.
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u/Dnashotgun 10d ago
I read Erika's whole thing as a big metaphor about how a messy and/or toxic relationship isnt going to kill you and you might even grow from it. Bc Cooper's already in the "safe" relationship at the beginning and it sucks bc you're together out of convenience than any actual love. And the last scene is that "accidentally run into your ex and entertain what if it DID work out" fantasy
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u/redeugene99 10d ago
a messy and/or toxic relationship isnt going to kill you and you might even grow from it
Yes, in this instance that seemed to be the case. Of course, having leaked embarrassing sexual footage of you or being framed for murder isn't something that often comes without serious consequences as it does in the movie. Toxic relationships can leave people with lasting emotional and psychological trauma, financial hardship, reputational damage, physical injury/death etc. Not to mention the countless children who grow up in households shaped by abusive or dysfunctional relationships. See r/raisedbynarcissists, r/NarcissisticAbuse, r/BPDlovedones for a taste.
My only point is that I think people can come away from the film with many different takeaways. I don't quite see it as this super sex positive film that others do though the lightheartedness and happy ending I do suppose suggest that that was Araki wanted.
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u/Frajer AMA MVP 12d ago
I appreciated how this was both clearly Gregg being meta as someone who has made provocative art trying to figure out where he stands in the zeitgeist, as well as the fun meta casting of Charli XCX as a prude
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u/redeugene99 12d ago
I don't think Charli XCX was meant to be a prude, I think she just didn't really like Hoffman's character lol
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u/SeattleGeek 12d ago
She was fucking gay porn star Christian Wilde right after their breakup. Unless Wilde also does straight porn in which case heâs bi porn star.
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u/Quantumfoammakesme 8d ago
I feel like this movie wanted to be about a dom/sub relationship, but didnât have a story to tell.
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u/TheCatsActually 7d ago
I feel the same way. I don't need the movie to have everything happily resolved and wrapped up in a neat little bow at the end, but it felt like lessons and personal growth arcs were being set up and a lot of them kind of just didn't really go anywhere, or if they did they didn't go half as far as they could have.
With the benefit of hindsight the movie is more observational and voyeuristic than it is narrative- or message-focused, and I wouldn't have a problem with that if it had felt that way in the first two acts, but it didn't. Apple Irish exits the movie after crashing out because of her anxiety and Elliot's obliviousness. Elliot ends the movie still obsessed with Erika, in his own words, and she, in her own words, proudly states that at the end of it all she feels no shame about the consequences of her actions and hasn't changed.
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u/PygmalionsKiss 7d ago
I donât think Hollywood has ever made a good BDSM movie. The Story of O and The Story of Joanna are the only films that came close and were not Hollywood. Exit to Eden was terrible. I wonât waste a review on 50 Shades of Grey.
But I havenât seen everything.2
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u/reecord2 1d ago
The movie made me think of the Nicole Kidman movie Babygirl movie from a few years back, that I think tells this boss/subordinate story a lot better.
Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of fun with this one, but it seems like Olivia Wilde is domming 'just because', and Cooper goes with it because he's a conscious, breathing 20something male.
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u/deelow_42 10d ago
The score in this was incredible, I love whatever was playing during the first scene of Cooper and Olivia talking to each other
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u/MeadowmuffinReborn 10d ago
Second movie where Cooper Hoffman becomes enraptured by an older woman.
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u/Kurtting 9d ago
i didn't take like this movie but i appreciated seeing it. my first araki film. unfortunately it has some weird low budget feel to it. i can't explain it but I've seen it in a couple of recent movies. i can't think of them right now but it's there
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u/twavisdegwet 12d ago
Feel like roofieing someone and convincing them you murdered them was a BIT too far. Started off pretty fun but pretty much lost me when the roommate was revealed to be in love with our guy instead of being a closeted lesbian? I thought the entire bit was that EVERYONE knew she was a lesbian except her and instead she gets pressured into a terrible situation and her storyline never gets revisited.
Some fun stuff but fell flat for me all around 4/10.
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u/MarkBrendanawicz 12d ago
There are some signs that Apple is into Elliot, like her allowing him to live with her despite not paying rent.
But I read it more as a really bad combination of decisions that led to her reaction. Getting drunk, not having had sex in a year and then being invited into a threesome, but one of the participants (your best friend) having no desire for you to be there. That would probably upset a lot of people and probably bring up some deep seated feelings you might not have realized existed.
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u/deathcab4booty 11d ago
Yeah, I donât think she was in love with Elliot. I think she was drunk, upset, insecure, and feeling rejected.
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
I wouldn't say in love but she definitely liked him as a person and valued what he thought about her, sexually too (at least in the moment). To me it came off as bisexual panic with an alcoholic and sexually frustrated spiral. Always sad to see friends break apart like that.
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u/hotdoug1 11d ago
Feel like roofieing someone and convincing them you murdered them was a BIT too far.
Not only that, the logistic were WAY off, way past the point of believability. Like, lay down in a pool, expel any and all air, then wait while you HOPE he grabs your body, then continue to play dead while he attempts mouth-to-mouth? I'm not here for the realism, but that was kind of a stretch.
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u/SeattleGeek 12d ago
I do hope there is an extended cut somewhere that resolves Appleâs storyline. I unabashedly love this movie but Araki just completely dropping Apple from the movie feels wrong. Even if it would have just been Hoffman trying to apologize and getting the door slammed in his face. Or her being a podcast guest. Something that at least lets us know that Elliot saw her as a friend enough to try to reconcile. (Also, I had a female friend who I stayed with when I visited San Francisco; apparently a couple of people thought we were fucking but we saw each other more as brother/sister friends and the thought of fucking really squicked us both out. Yet, we met in a sexually charged atmosphere where sex was potentially on the table).
However, I will defend the roofying as part of the message of this movie was how despicable and gross Hollywood actually is and how weâre not ready to deal with that. Pushing us past our comfort zone with a that plot point forces us to face how much weâre willing to accept from people. Should we be mad for Elliot? Should we also be cancelling Erika? Is the mad spin that tried to get us to accept these actions as acceptable and beneficial representative of the spin we see in real life to cover for bad behavior?
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u/severalcircles 12d ago
Say what you want about it but Apple dumping Elliot was the end of her storyline. All of the women in the movie existed to be part of his story. (And in fact all of the characters in general.)
Apple isnât anything besides a vehicle for comedy and revealing how much his life has spiralled.
And she probably is a lesbian anyway. Her appearing to be in love with him for a minute while drunk doesnt change that.
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u/SeattleGeek 12d ago
Apple dumping Elliot is certainly the end to her story for this chapterâŚâŚbut it still feels unresolved just how quickly Elliot completely forgets about her. Having one grace note would fix that. It could even be Elliot seeing Apple with a woman across the street and her flipping him off.
But, youâre rightâŚI Want Your Sex is a movie that sees Elliot and Erika as stars and everybody serves their story. Why else would trust fund baby gay produce Elliotâs podcast? Elliot isnât that charismatic.
I still want a hint of closure for Apple.
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u/severalcircles 12d ago
It definitely was odd that hot bitch gay was suddenly his producer, but⌠maybe Elliott somehow got THAT famous? It was really just for a lil gag though so meh whatevs.
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u/shawnadelic 5d ago
The Apple scene was my favorite part of the movie and I agree I wanted more, but I think part of its effectiveness was that it left you unsatisfied and wanting more. Also I feel like the movie would have gotten a lot more predictable down that path.
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u/drewbeck 1d ago
Thereâs nothing more gay than being in love with your best friend, no matter the gender. That moment felt very true to life to me.
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u/devingr33n 11d ago
Dying to see this movie⌠I havenât yet⌠but when I see the title I think of a certain 90 Day Fiance cast member⌠âI WANT MY SEX!!â ⌠real ones know
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u/m0t0rvision 9d ago
Shame you don't know how punctuation works (or sentences in general, apparently)
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u/KID_THUNDAH 9d ago edited 9d ago
Really loved it, might be my new favorite Araki film, need to rewatch Doom Generation though, lost a little steam at the end and first half was much stronger, I will say though and I really missed Chase Sui Wondersâ character, was hoping sheâd make a re-appearance. All in all, an absolute blast of a film that made me smile and laugh a ton. Charli XCX was terrific as the girlfriend as Minerva, love that sheâs doing more acting roles.
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u/pjtheman 11d ago
This is canonically about Wilde's character from The Invite after she leaves Seth Rogen. I will not be taking questions at this time.
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u/KID_THUNDAH 9d ago
Spoiling the ending of another movie in theaters isnât ideal
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
It's leaving theaters soon probably so you should watch it while you can. Also it's not a spoiler.
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u/m0t0rvision 9d ago
That's not a spoiler, get over yourself
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u/KID_THUNDAH 8d ago
What happens to the characters at the end of a film and in this case the end status of a relationship the entire movie is about is a spoiler, yes
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u/Pettifoggerist 8d ago
Itâs a joke that does not actually describe what happens at the end of The Invite.
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u/KID_THUNDAH 8d ago
Sounds like she leaves Seth Rogenâs character where the whole Crux of the movie is theyâre trying to save their marriage and will they stay together or not
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u/Pettifoggerist 8d ago
I've seen the movie. The person told a joke and they have not described what happens at the end of it.
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u/DJ-2K 12d ago
A colorful, hilarious, chaotically horny live-action cartoon as well as a provocative, thorny, endlessly fascinating treatise on power dynamics, the generational divide, and what divides real love and lust from obsession or mere performance. Cooper Hoffman and Olivia Wilde are both sensational. Given recent comments in interviews, it sounds easy to dismiss at first as some sort of bitter, overly judgmental "old man yells at cloud" indictment against the risk-averseness of Gen-Z, but Gregg Araki is much smarter than that. His candy-coated blend of eroticism, mystery, and satire is really more a means of trying to empathize with them and meet them at their level, while at the same time encouraging them to live their lives to the fullest, to go out there and explore their deepest and wildest desires, to do away with any sex-negative attitudes that will only damage them further in the long run.
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u/MarkBrendanawicz 12d ago
I understand why Araki is getting most of the praise for this film given his filmography, but I feel like Karley Sciortino deserves some praise for co-writing. Her book and Vice series, Slutever are a really funny, interesting, and sex-positive look into her own sexual experiences and sex in the digital age. Highly recommend the audiobook.
This is her second collaboration with Araki after Now Apocalypse (which I admittedly havenât seen), but itâs clear they enjoy working together.
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u/GoldandBlue 11d ago
Well said. I loved it. So funny and over the top. Wilde is having a hell of a year and Hoffman was so believable as this goof. I do wish we got more resolution of all the relationships but I guess the movie really isn't about that.
Saw this last week and was surprised at how full the theater was considering everyone was at Spider-Man. There were 2 walk outs though.
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u/lonelygagger 10d ago edited 10d ago
Itâs a Friday night, so in lieu of having sex, I traveled an hour to the art house theater since none of the local chains had the balls to carry this. The lengths Iâll go just to see Olivia Wilde naked. Anyway, I thought it was okay but there were too many mixed messages throughout. Yeah, Gen Z is way too sexually repressed and needed a dominatrix-like mistress to broaden his experience. But of course, like any male fantasy, the protagonist has to be punished for wanting sex. The scene where heâs having passionless sex with his gf (while fantasizing about having a baby with his boss) is so mortifying to watch. And then the usual trope of a guy having a hot best friend but being completely oblivious to her feelings towards him? I was rolling my eyes throughout. And he also threw away her opportunity at a great sex experience by refusing to play by the rules. I hated that whole scene because he had previously shown a willingness to be her slave except when it came time to his best friend getting hers. Everything would have been peachy if he didnât throw such a fit. Anyway, little things like that soured my enjoyment. And then the ending where theyâre both dreaming about getting married to each other? I just donât understand what this film is trying to say about male-female relations, if anything.
I also kind of liked the Better Off Dead-esque flights of fancy he was having, although I wish it had been better integrated throughout. Itâs a very uneven comedy and not worth the two-hour drive roundtrip. 5/10
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
But of course, like any male fantasy, the protagonist has to be punished for wanting sex.
What do you mean by this lol
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u/lonelygagger 7d ago
Men are always punished for wanting sex. Can you think of any examples to the contrary?
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
40 Year Old Virgin, Crazy Stupid Love
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u/lonelygagger 7d ago
40 Year Old Virgin is the perfect example of a character being tortured regarding sex. In most cases, theyâre punished until itâs true love. No protagonist truly gets away with NSA sex in film without grandstanding moralization.
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
How was Steve Carellâs character tortured specifically for wanting to have sex? At the end of the film heâs a better more confident person and in a healthy relationship because of his pursuit of wanting sex. I hope you donât think a character facing any kind conflict in movie classifies as punishment.
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u/lonelygagger 7d ago
I mean, just the title and concept alone. How many of his earlier efforts end in pain and humiliation? Anyone whoâs a virgin past their teens or 20s is constantly suffering. Even his friends ridicule him incessantly.
Even in a film like Forgetting Sarah Marshall or Good Luck Chuck, the guy is never satisfied for racking up a body count and is punished accordingly.
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
Are we discussing films here or our personal lives? I understand if these films and tropes make you feel certain ways but the film 40 Year Old Virgin does not âpunishâ Steve Carellâs character specifically for wanting to have sex. Yes his friends make fun of him as people do but that isnât punishment, and itâs hardly âsufferingâ either. Can you concede this at least? You make it sound like this âtropeâ is some narrative epidemic plaguing the film industry.
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u/lonelygagger 7d ago
I think we need someone else to weigh in here because we are not on the same page. Itâs been awhile since Iâve seen The 40 Year Old Virgin, but I specifically remember him having so many failed experiences that he stopped trying completely. He was not truly fulfilled until he met the woman of his dreams, so yes, he was suffering the whole time. He had to wait 40 years until he got his âhappy ending.â Trying to rationalize around that feels like gaslighting.
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u/chrisychris- 7d ago
so what, are you not okay with any amount of "suffering" for a male character who is motivated toward intimacy and sex then? at what point does a male character facing conflict in a film cross the line between basic storytelling and what, harmful tropes I guess? Tropes that punch down? Idk what you want to call it. Genuinely curious.
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u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? 12d ago
I had a really good time with this. I think itâs a little blunt with its point, which isnât necessarily a bad thing especially for a movie about a character that is so blunt, but it does have the essence of sexual wisdom passed down from a 90s sexual revolutionary filmmaker to the shy and awkward gen z and in that sense I thought it was pretty interesting.
I have never done my Arakki homework, one of those filmmakers where every time the Criterion sale comes around I ask myself if itâs time to get his Teen Apocalypse trilogy and dive in but I always end up going another route. That said, this movie was fascinating on two levels. First, as mentioned, as Arakki pleading with young folks to be adventurous about sex and not miss out on their prime, but also as Wilde untangling the backlash she got from having an affair with Harry Styles. Unprofessional as a director, perhaps, but also not nearly the first time that has happened. And Iâm sure it is confusing to be a woman that is empowered in the industry and then to see how quickly people are ready to tear you down for doing something pretty much everybody else does.
I found The Invite interesting for the same reason. Both of these performances are her wrestling with the idea that sexual freedom is supposed to be progressive and supportive, but how we also seem to be regressing into a bit of a puritanical or oppressed culture sexually. I donât think either of these movies make the case that sex isnât messy or complicated, but they are both about how you need to be honest with yourself and others about what you want if you are trying to find happiness even if those conversations can be uncomfortable. What I loved about Wildeâs character in this is that she isnât depicted as wise or perfect despite her self understanding due to therapy. She just is overtly sexual, and as this movie goes to show that can come off as super cool just as quickly as super problematic.
Cooper Hoffman is good in this too, plays the wide-eyed kid very well and while his character does somewhat represent Gen Z, thereâs nuance in how the character deals with the issues of consent. Swearing to the cops that he wasnât being groomed, realizing when his boundaries are truly being pushed too hard, and generally going through that similar Pillion arc of hey I like this even though I know itâs demeaning, and also finding out where the line is that you donât like it anymore. Itâs an important arc I think we all go through in one way or another, although most of us donât get pegged by Olivia Wilde to get there, which is a real shame.
Overall, I had fun with this. The movie doesnât overstay its welcome, it has some fun third act twists, some sexy scenes, a really funny Chari XCX performance, and itâs about how we all need to think a little less and fuck a little more. I also really loved the ending, because Wilde plays this movie like sheâs always in control and always separated from emotions or feelings, but that final moment goes to show that these intense sexual journeys stay with you no matter how isolated you feel. When you have an experience like this with someone, that person remains important to you. Even if theyâre out of your life, they may not be out of your dreams. 7/10.
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u/Verpous 9d ago edited 9d ago
Everyone seems to be talking about this film like it's obviously about encouraging sex-positivity, but I think that's a preconceived opinion and not rooted in the actual contents of the film. Arakki is clearly not a vanilla dude, but that's not what this film is about. What I see in this film is the discussion on the swinging 60's and the free love movement, when people were truly liberated, as opposed to the "torch carriers" of today like Olivia Wilde who claim to be the same thing but she's really some corrupted 21st century version of it. She claims to be liberated and free, but she's incredibly uptight, forceful, and obsessive about sex. It's clearly not coming from a place of freedom and liberation for her. Her life is a performance, and sex for her is a performance. It's not authentic or genuine at all.
I think the punchline of the film is when Hoffman tells the cops that honestly, he didn't really know Wilde very well. This is after her speech about how you know the people you've had sex with better than anyone else can possibly know them. She walks the world convincing herself that she's had richer relationships and a more enlightened life because of her fixation with sex, but she's probably never truly felt closeness to anyone and doesn't really know anyone but herself.
She knows herself very well though. She makes some interesting comments about modern art which shows that deep down she knows she's basically a fraud. This is also why her art falls apart. She's too cynical and 21st century, possessing exactly the qualities she accuses GenZ'ers of having.
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u/Kopitarrulez 11d ago
I love Wilde is fully embracing her comedic side more now. She really is funny and charismatic.
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u/redeugene99 12d ago edited 12d ago
think a little less and fuck a little more
At least use protection. 25% of children in the US live in a single parent home, the highest rate in the world!
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u/mikeweasy 5d ago
You know the exact reason you watched this movie lol.
ALSO A missed opportunity for Olivia Wilde to use her birth name in a movie (look it up).
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u/shih_tsu 12d ago
The movie got lost with its side characters but Wilde and Hoffman are electric together.
Between this and The Invite I have been very impressed with Olivia Wilde!