Intro: I've seen the trailer a bunch of times at the cinema, but somehow never made it to the movies in time to see it. So one evening, a month or so before our vacation to Argentina, Niamh and I decided to finally give this one a go over a bottle of wine and a pizza.
Film 2518: "I Want Your Sex" (2026), directed by Gregg Araki
Watched: From Niamh's computer
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I was dreading this one, I have to be honest, because I didn't really like it when I watched it at Niamh's one Saturday night. We also got pretty tipsy while eating our pizza, so I don't necessarily remember it all that well. Well enough to remember how disengaged I was while watching it, tho. Now that I've read the synopsis and watched the trailer again, things have started coming back to me, both plot-wise and vibe-wise. Let me explain.
I thought the story would have been way funnier. The trailer sells it as this unhinged and kinky movie where sex and ambition mix, promising an explosive, wild ride. Instead, "I Want Your Sex" didn't really offer me much I hadn't seen before. Yes, Olivia Wilde goes all in playing manipulative, sex-positive Erika, but other than that, she's just another variation of the Miranda Priestly character type: bossy, mean and self-centered. That's all.
On the other hand, Cooper Hoffman once again shows he's one to watch. This is a very unusual character choice for a nepo baby like him -- and a good one, I think. Playing scruffy, little, harmless puppy Elliot really suits him, and the massive contrast between his character and Wilde's works well for the overall story dynamic. I just wish the screenplay had gone in a different direction.
I mean, there's nothing necessarily wrong with what we see here, it's just that... we've seen it before? (**SPOILER**) The fact that Erika fakes her own death and frames Elliot just to sell more of her art pieces... Is it really that bold and unconventional in 2026?
Overall, to me, this felt more like a TV show than an actual movie. The aesthetics are giving "Ugly Betty": flashy and bright, seemingly designed to distract you from the lower budget and the cheapness of some of the set pieces and costumes. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. Not all movies can be major studio productions, but I couldn't shake this feeling while watching "I Want Your Sex".
Additionally, I think splitting the plot across several episodes would have benefited the end result. More character depth, more time to develop the various plotlines and supporting characters. Some of them could have had an actual reason to be in the movie rather than just getting a cameo role. I'm thinking of Charli XCX's girlfriend role (there just to highlight the sexual boredom of Elliot's ordinary day-to-day life), Johnny Knoxville and Margaret Cho (the two detectives could have benefited from a little more screen time and investigation rather than just appearing in the interrogation room scenes), and Mason Gooding (who has a bigger role in the story, but still feels more like the mandatory LGBTQ+ character representation).
Considering the initial murder mystery set-up of this story, it would have been nice to broaden the narrative and give the characters more depth, giving it some sort of "Big Little Lies" treatment mixed with a bit of sexual "depravity" and some juicy plot twists.
To me, the potential was definitely there, but possibly due to time and money constraints, "I Want Your Sex" ended up being just another film that edged me but ultimately failed to fully deliver.
Cast: Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho, Roxane Mesquida, Charli XCX, Daveed Diggs.
Box Office: $2.4 million
Worth a watch?: I was expecting more. Way more. Both in terms of the sex and the story. It's not a terrible film by any means, but given its potential, I was hoping this film would have gagged me and surprised me. Instead, it turned out to be more "conventional" than I expected. Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman give great performances, and their chemistry is what glues this film together.
Awards: /
Key word: Job.
Trailer
#HollywoodCiak
Bengi
Watched: From Niamh's computer
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I was dreading this one, I have to be honest, because I didn't really like it when I watched it at Niamh's one Saturday night. We also got pretty tipsy while eating our pizza, so I don't necessarily remember it all that well. Well enough to remember how disengaged I was while watching it, tho. Now that I've read the synopsis and watched the trailer again, things have started coming back to me, both plot-wise and vibe-wise. Let me explain.
I thought the story would have been way funnier. The trailer sells it as this unhinged and kinky movie where sex and ambition mix, promising an explosive, wild ride. Instead, "I Want Your Sex" didn't really offer me much I hadn't seen before. Yes, Olivia Wilde goes all in playing manipulative, sex-positive Erika, but other than that, she's just another variation of the Miranda Priestly character type: bossy, mean and self-centered. That's all.
On the other hand, Cooper Hoffman once again shows he's one to watch. This is a very unusual character choice for a nepo baby like him -- and a good one, I think. Playing scruffy, little, harmless puppy Elliot really suits him, and the massive contrast between his character and Wilde's works well for the overall story dynamic. I just wish the screenplay had gone in a different direction.
I mean, there's nothing necessarily wrong with what we see here, it's just that... we've seen it before? (**SPOILER**) The fact that Erika fakes her own death and frames Elliot just to sell more of her art pieces... Is it really that bold and unconventional in 2026?
Overall, to me, this felt more like a TV show than an actual movie. The aesthetics are giving "Ugly Betty": flashy and bright, seemingly designed to distract you from the lower budget and the cheapness of some of the set pieces and costumes. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. Not all movies can be major studio productions, but I couldn't shake this feeling while watching "I Want Your Sex".
Additionally, I think splitting the plot across several episodes would have benefited the end result. More character depth, more time to develop the various plotlines and supporting characters. Some of them could have had an actual reason to be in the movie rather than just getting a cameo role. I'm thinking of Charli XCX's girlfriend role (there just to highlight the sexual boredom of Elliot's ordinary day-to-day life), Johnny Knoxville and Margaret Cho (the two detectives could have benefited from a little more screen time and investigation rather than just appearing in the interrogation room scenes), and Mason Gooding (who has a bigger role in the story, but still feels more like the mandatory LGBTQ+ character representation).
Considering the initial murder mystery set-up of this story, it would have been nice to broaden the narrative and give the characters more depth, giving it some sort of "Big Little Lies" treatment mixed with a bit of sexual "depravity" and some juicy plot twists.
To me, the potential was definitely there, but possibly due to time and money constraints, "I Want Your Sex" ended up being just another film that edged me but ultimately failed to fully deliver.
Cast: Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho, Roxane Mesquida, Charli XCX, Daveed Diggs.
Box Office: $2.4 million
Worth a watch?: I was expecting more. Way more. Both in terms of the sex and the story. It's not a terrible film by any means, but given its potential, I was hoping this film would have gagged me and surprised me. Instead, it turned out to be more "conventional" than I expected. Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman give great performances, and their chemistry is what glues this film together.
Awards: /
Key word: Job.
Trailer
#HollywoodCiak
Bengi
#HollywoodCiak 2518 #IWantYourSex #GreggAraki #OliviaWilde #CooperHoffman #MasonGooding #ChaseSuiWonders #JohnnyKnoxville #MargaretCho #RoxaneMesquida #CharliXCX #DaveedDiggs #sex #boss #art #kink #murder #gay #BDSM #erotic #comedy #podcast #job #exhibition #followme
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