Time: 90 Minutes
Age Rating: R16
Cast:
Olivia Wilde as Erika Tracy
Cooper Hoffman as Elliot
Mason Gooding as Zap
Chase Sui Wonders as Apple
Daveed Diggs as Vikktor
Charli XCX as Minerva
Johnny Knoxville as Detective Zem
Margaret Cho as Detective Zola
Roxane Mesquida as Yvette
Director: Gregg Araki

I Want Your Sex is my fifth and final movie of the NZIFF. I was interested in the movie, mainly because it was directed by Gregg Araki, who previously made Mysterious Skin, and it also starred Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman. I didn’t really know what to expect going in, but I had a good time with it.

The opening really sets the tone for I Want Your Sex as it quickly establishes itself as not being a subtle movie at all, deliberately provocative, satirical and over the top. It’s a hilarious movie, very fun, silly and campy. It approaches the topic of sex in a very entertaining way, so however you feel about the movie on the whole, it’s at least fun to watch across its brisk pace over the 90 minute runtime. Much of the movie is about sex, mainly about Gen Z being a sexless generation that needs to have more sex, which is something that Gregg Araki has been saying about the film. However, the movie covers more than that and handles things in a more mature way than he gives it credit. The commentary somehow doesn’t fall into old man yelling at clouds territory. Things are more complicated, it’s about power and sexual dynamics, and why people have sex. It is absolutely a messy movie and towards the second half, its issues begin to show. The third act is the weakest part and by the end I’m not quite sure what Araki was going for, but I still enjoyed it. 

The cast is amazing. Cooper Hoffman makes for a very good lead, delivering a committed, funny and dramatic performance. Olivia Wilde is phenomenal and delivers one of her best performances. As Erika, she’s entertaining, magnetic, unhinged, energetic, but also complex and layered, and she stole all the scenes she was in. Hoffman and Wilde have such great on screen chemistry together. The rest of the supporting cast are good too, including Chase Sui Wonders, Charli XCX, Daveed Diggs and Mason Gooding. 

Gregg Araki’s direction is great and stylistic. The visuals are colourful, bright, and vibrant. Some parts of the movie could look artificial, but it felt intentional.

I Want Your Sex is a hilarious, sharp, and entertaining satirical comedy, with amazing performances from Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman.