Looking for an Alternative to Spider-Man or The Odyssey? These Two Sex-Fueled Comedies Deliver the Laughs

Looking for an Alternative to Spider-Man or The Odyssey? These Two Sex-Fueled Comedies Deliver the Laughs

Looking for something a little different at the movies this weekend? If superheroes and Greek mythology aren’t quite your thing, there are two very adult comedies hitting theaters that might be more your speed.

One Night Only and I Want Your Sex both put sex front and center, but take wildly different approaches. One is a surprisingly sweet dystopian rom-com. The other is an outrageous, provocative descent into sexual obsession and S&M. Neither is exactly family movie night material, but both gave me plenty to laugh about.

ONE NIGHT ONLY

What if The Purge was about sex?

That’s essentially the premise of One Night Only, a ridiculous but charming romantic comedy set in a dystopian future where pre-martial sex is outlawed, except for one night when everyone gets to get their freak on – consentually, of course.

Monica Barbaro plays Allie, a woman who records pharmaceutical jingles for a living, while Callum Turner plays Owen, a down-on-his-luck guy trying to navigate this crazy annual event. When the two meet, their chemistry is immediate and unmistakable, and that chemistry is why this movie works.

I laughed a LOT during this one, but some of my biggest laughs came from Allie’s pharmaceutical songs. These absurd little jingles about prescription drugs are so ridiculously funny that several had me absolutely in stitches and it’s a running gag throughout the film.

The premise is obviously exaggerated, but there is also an interesting undercurrent to the movie. A dystopian government deciding when people are allowed to have sex doesn’t feel quite as far-fetched as it should, particularly given today’s increasingly puritanical political climate and battles over personal freedom and bodily autonomy. The film makes a statement while keeping it as fun as it can.

Thankfully, One Night Only doesn’t get bogged down in that. It’s a fun, sexy and surprisingly sweet rom-com that turns the traditional formula on its head.

One night only? This is one night I wouldn’t mind repeating.

My Rating: ★★★★☆

 

I WANT YOUR SEX

If One Night Only is the playful sex comedy, I Want Your Sex is the movie that walks into the room, turns the lights down and tells you how far you’re willing to go.

Cooper Hoffman stars as Elliot, a young man who becomes involved with Erika (his boss), played by Olivia Wilde, a sexually liberated artist who introduces him to a world of S&M.

Or, depending on how you look at it, a sex-crazed lunatic who grooms her unsuspecting mark into a whole lot of trouble.

Either way, it’s darkly hilarious.

The movie is unapologetically sexual and not for anyone who shies away from nudity. There are so many wild situations packed into this movie that you may find yourself blushing more than once.

I loved that it pushes the limits.

Cooper Hoffman is terrific as doe-eyed Elliot, particularly as his character realizes that he may have gotten himself into considerably more than he bargained for. Olivia Wilde clearly relishes the opportunity to play someone this unpredictable, and she demands attention every time she’s on screen.

Mason Gooding is another standout as super gay work bestie Zap, as is Apple, Elliot’s oh-so-innocent BFF played by Chase Sui Wonders delivering two of my favorite supporting performances in the film. Oh, and don’t miss Charli XCX as Minerva, who may very well be the world’s worst girlfriend. Daveed Diggs is also here imitating his best Devil Wears Prada “Emily” role as the assistant who will never lower his standards to someone like Elliot.

I Want Your Sex is weird, raunchy, funny and completely unapologetic about what it is. It isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s what I enjoyed about it.

Sometimes a movie should make you laugh. Sometimes it should make you uncomfortable. And sometimes it should make you sit there thinking, “Did they really just do that?”

This one does all three.

My Rating: ★★★★☆

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