Olivia Wilde is becoming rapidly more brilliant and is destined to always be daring. After her directing and starring The Invite, she continues to rock the world with her mind-blowing performances. In I Want Your Sex, she is an open book with no bars. I Want Your Sex is wicked and honest. It is a comedic look at human emotions that is funny and serious, while also highlighting the mental pressure of making choices. Cooper Hoffman is a revelation. He steals the film. When there are elements of desire, I Want Your Sex stops at nothing to create spellbinding fantasies.
The film is written and directed by Gregg Araki and focuses on Elliot (Hoffman), an employee working in a studio under the supervision of Erika (Wilde). Elliot works as a studio assistant for Erika’s studio. He has a strange job of assisting with chewing gum. However, as he works with Erika, their conversations start to become more sexualized. As Elliot is in a not-so-exciting relationship, he begins to feel that being with Erika brings him more pleasure in his life.
The film becomes increasingly erotic. Audiences can feel the loneliness in Hoffman’s performance. Since he has a standard nine-to-five job with little excitement, being with Erika opens doors for him. Especially in moments when she labels him as a submissive. However, he finds himself confused as well. Is Erika trustworthy? Is Erika using him? Do their choices benefit either of them? I Want Your Sex spirals with questions that boggle the imagination.
With the dynamic between Wilde and Hoffman, it is like a wild duo trying to figure out their own desires. Wilde is high-class and Hoffman is the middle- to lower-class. Wilde is the wealthy one with the studio, and Hoffman is the assistant. Wilde’s character has tons of money to spend on fancy art and strange hobbies. Hoffman’s character works at his job just to get by. Outside of his job, however, he is not that happy. He begins to feel most human when he is with Wilde. They are two human beings looking to fulfill their fantasies in this classy and well-written dark comedy.
The quirkiness of the lead characters’ desires and loneliness is what makes the film so fulfilling. Hoffman’s performance and ability to display his lonesome mode is defiant. Wilde’s performance is also compelling especially when she uses trial and error in making Hoffman her submissive. The story leads viewers down dark avenues that are bizarre and utterly surprising. This is a one-of-a-kind comedy that had me sold. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for I Want Your Sex.
