Gregg Araki's latest endeavour, I Want Your Sex, is a tame take on his usual brand of provocative, offbeat romps. The director, known for films like The Doom Generation and Smiley Face, has been absent from the Sundance scene since 2010's Kaboom, but his return to the festival with this new film raises more questions than it answers.
At its core, I Want Your Sex is a film about artist Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), a provocateur who toys with her assistant Elliot (Cooper Hoffman). Their relationship is a masterclass in old-school femme fatale charm, with Wilde bringing an undeniable magnetism to the role. However, it's a magic trick that wears off once you notice the lack of tension between the leads.
The film's attempt to explore themes of age, sex, and generational differences falls flat due to miscasting. Hoffman struggles to match Wilde's level of charisma, and their on-screen chemistry is nonexistent. The script's didactic approach to these issues only serves to highlight its shortcomings, as Araki never quite finds his footing.
The plot is a meandering mix of hijinks, including a lackluster threesome and a murder mystery that fizzles out. While the film's visuals are, as expected, vibrant and playful, they're not enough to carry the dull narrative forward. The pacing feels sluggish, with long stretches of uneventful content that fail to hold the viewer's attention.
Ultimately, I Want Your Sex feels like a missed opportunity. Araki's signature irreverence is MIA, replaced by a tone that's more cheeky than raunchy. Wilde shines in her role, but even she can't elevate the material to make it compelling. This 90-minute romp feels longer than that, and its failure to deliver on its promise of shock, arousal, and debate leaves the viewer underwhelmed.
The film is screening at Sundance, and with a distributor in tow, one wonders if this will be Araki's ticket back to relevance or just another misfire. Only time will tell if I Want Your Sex can recapture the magic that made its director an enfant terrible of the indie scene.
At its core, I Want Your Sex is a film about artist Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), a provocateur who toys with her assistant Elliot (Cooper Hoffman). Their relationship is a masterclass in old-school femme fatale charm, with Wilde bringing an undeniable magnetism to the role. However, it's a magic trick that wears off once you notice the lack of tension between the leads.
The film's attempt to explore themes of age, sex, and generational differences falls flat due to miscasting. Hoffman struggles to match Wilde's level of charisma, and their on-screen chemistry is nonexistent. The script's didactic approach to these issues only serves to highlight its shortcomings, as Araki never quite finds his footing.
The plot is a meandering mix of hijinks, including a lackluster threesome and a murder mystery that fizzles out. While the film's visuals are, as expected, vibrant and playful, they're not enough to carry the dull narrative forward. The pacing feels sluggish, with long stretches of uneventful content that fail to hold the viewer's attention.
Ultimately, I Want Your Sex feels like a missed opportunity. Araki's signature irreverence is MIA, replaced by a tone that's more cheeky than raunchy. Wilde shines in her role, but even she can't elevate the material to make it compelling. This 90-minute romp feels longer than that, and its failure to deliver on its promise of shock, arousal, and debate leaves the viewer underwhelmed.
The film is screening at Sundance, and with a distributor in tow, one wonders if this will be Araki's ticket back to relevance or just another misfire. Only time will tell if I Want Your Sex can recapture the magic that made its director an enfant terrible of the indie scene.
. He's trying to make a statement, but it feels like he's just phoning it in 
. Olivia Wilde is still queen, though - she brings that extra oomph to her role 
. But Cooper Hoffman just can't keep up, you know? The script tries too hard to tackle these heavy themes and ends up feeling forced 
. And don't even get me started on the pacing - it's like they're trying to make us wait for something exciting to happen, but never deliver 
. Overall, I Want Your Sex feels like a snooze fest 
compared to his other stuff. Olivia Wilde is still super hot tho 
and she tries her best with that role, but even she can't make this boring script exciting. The cinematography is on point tho 
, that's what saved it for me. I'm curious to see how the distributors will handle this one, hoping it'll be a comeback kid 
and honestly, it felt like a tease 
. The lead actress Olivia Wilde is super talented but even she couldn't save this movie from its meh plot 
. And don't even get me started on the miscasting - Cooper Hoffman just doesn't match up to Wilde 
. The visuals are pretty but that's not enough to make it interesting 
. I'm kinda disappointed because Araki used to be so edgy and provocative 
but this film feels like a watered-down version of itself 
. Maybe I'll give it another shot when it comes out in theaters, but for now, it's just okay 
, i loved gregg araki in the past but this one just feels off 
, she brings that certain energy to her role, but sadly it's not enough to carry the whole film. i don't get why they cast cooper hoffman, he just doesn't have the same level of charisma as wilde 
. anyway, hopefully he'll bounce back with his next one, 'cause this one just feels like a misfire 
. wilde is still got that charm, don't get me wrong, but hoffman just can't keep up. the script is all over the place and the pacing is so slow it'll put you to sleep 
. i want your sex is like that one friend who shows up uninvited and overstays their welcome... not really sure what's going on or why we're still watching 
his average film gross is now $1.2M compared to $3.5M in kaboom (2010) 
let's look at sundance attendance 
i want your sex drew 250+ people, way below its allocated screening time 
the festival's overall attendance has been on the rise btw 
meanwhile olivia wilde's solo films have seen a 50% increase in ticket sales since her last collaboration with araki 
, she totally brings the heat as Erika Tracy! The film's visuals are on point too, as expected from Gregg Araki 
.