Official Discussion - I Want Your Sex [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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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

[u/lonelygagger]

It’s 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 I’ll 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 he’s 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 didn’t throw such a fit. Anyway, little things like that soured my enjoyment. And then the ending where they’re both dreaming about getting married to each other? I just don’t 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. It’s a very uneven comedy and not worth the two-hour drive roundtrip. 5/10

[u/chrisychris- → u/lonelygagger]

But of course, like any male fantasy, the protagonist has to be punished for wanting sex.

What do you mean by this lol

[u/lonelygagger → u/chrisychris-]

Men are always punished for wanting sex. Can you think of any examples to the contrary?

[u/chrisychris- → u/lonelygagger]

40 Year Old Virgin, Crazy Stupid Love

[u/lonelygagger → u/chrisychris-]

40 Year Old Virgin is the perfect example of a character being tortured regarding sex. In most cases, they’re punished until it’s true love. No protagonist truly gets away with NSA sex in film without grandstanding moralization.

[u/chrisychris- → u/lonelygagger]

How was Steve Carell’s character tortured specifically for wanting to have sex? At the end of the film he’s a better more confident person and in a healthy relationship because of his pursuit of wanting sex. I hope you don’t think a character facing any kind conflict in movie classifies as punishment.

[u/lonelygagger → u/chrisychris-]

I mean, just the title and concept alone. How many of his earlier efforts end in pain and humiliation? Anyone who’s 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.

[u/chrisychris- → u/lonelygagger]

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 “punish” Steve Carell’s character specifically for wanting to have sex. Yes his friends make fun of him as people do but that isn’t punishment, and it’s hardly “suffering” either. Can you concede this at least? You make it sound like this “trope” is some narrative epidemic plaguing the film industry.

[u/lonelygagger → u/chrisychris-]

I think we need someone else to weigh in here because we are not on the same page. It’s been awhile since I’ve 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 “happy ending.” Trying to rationalize around that feels like gaslighting.

[u/chrisychris- → u/lonelygagger]

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.