Netflix is a treasure trove of awesome movies that sometimes just randomly make themselves known to me. This one showed up on one of my lists, and though I was going to just throw it on the queue, my friend suggested we go ahead and watch it. And I’m not one to say no to a movie about orgasms.
Trigger warnings: There is both talk and the actual acting out of a woman’s “rape fantasy.” I had a hard time with this one, so if you’re really sensitive to it, I would suggest giving this movie a pass.
One-Sentence Synopsis
Different couples experience different sexual issues, each one revolving around some sort of fetish and each one connecting with another at some point. For a full synopsis, see this movie’s IMDB page.
Everyone Has Their Thing
The different couples each have a thing: one woman has a rape fantasy that her boyfriend really isn’t into; one woman gets aroused only by seeing her boyfriend cry; one couple tries role playing with some strange results; one man needs his wife to be asleep for him to connect with her (though it’s not clear if that’s because that’s his fetish or if it’s because she’s a raging bitch during the day); and a sign language translator gets caught in the middle of a 900 number sex call.
Laughing, Crying & Cookies
There were all kinds of feels in this movie, not all of them good, and many of them gave me anxiety about what was going to happen. Besides the individual stories, there’s also a man walking around the neighborhood giving people cookies as a distraction while he tells them that he’s a convicted sex offender. And strangely, no one seems to really care that he’s a sex offender. Most of them are really into the cookies though.
Major Gray Areas
I was never sure where the stories where going to go, and they don’t all have a happy ending. At the same time, there are some really sweet moments. I think the most interesting thing is that on a certain level, I connected with all of the characters. Not because I share their fetishes, but because the movie portrayed all of them, weird fetish or not, as very human and very three-dimensional. There were characters I didn’t like, but at some point, I felt sorry for them because they were dealing with their struggle the best they could.
To Laugh or Not to Laugh
At other times, things were hilarious. The couple trying to figure out roleplaying cracked me up, even though what was happening actually turned out to be emotionally painful. The emotions were like a roller coaster ride. At times, I was afraid to laugh since I thought something not-so-funny might be getting ready to happen.
The Romance Factor
While not traditionally romantic, there were a few romantic moments that set a tone for the whole movie, my favorite being the woman translating sign language to the guy on a sex line. I realize that doesn’t sound romantic, and most of the scene is just funny. But it turns out to be one of the most amazing, sweetest scenes I’ve ever seen in a movie with the fewest words spoken by mouth. That scene alone gives this movie a top romance score. 5/5
The Steam Factor
Obviously, there’s some sex in this movie. That’s kind of the whole point. However, not all of it is titillating. To be honest, very little of it is, and it mostly serves to highlight the secrets the characters are keeping. However, there is one scene that I found to be very short, very simple, and very hot. There’s not even a lot of actual sex, but the first roleplay the one couple engages in is so potent, it’s enough to bring some heat. 4/5
Final Thoughts
I loved this movie, and I’ve actually thought about it a lot since I watched it. I feel I’m going to need to watch it again. It’s like a sexed up Love Actually, and I’ve seen that one many times. I could do a few more rounds with this one as well.
The Romance Factor 