Title: I Want Your Sex
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Gregg Araki
Starring: Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman
Runtime: 1 hr 30 mins

What It Is: A hapless intern (Cooper Hoffman) starts a sexual affair with his eccentric artist boss (Olivia Wilde). What follows is a candy coated tale of debauchery, unbridled sex, and MURDER?? The twists and turns are nonstop in Gregg Araki’s latest entry into his vibrant and unmistakable catalog of work.

Ripley’s Take: 

What Ripley Thinks: I had to be the single most obnoxious person in the theater. The person who laughed the hardest, cheered the loudest, my god I don’t think I’ve fangirled so hard at a theater before this. And how could I not? It was a Gregg Araki film, which if you know anything about me, he’s my favorite filmmaker of all-time. Going to this movie was a bigger win for me than the Superbowl (which my Seahawks won by the way). It was everything I could’ve possibly wanted to be and more.

Where to begin in the actual analysis of this masterpiece? Well, I suppose I can say that this film was everything you want a Gregg Araki film to be. Colorful? Check. Weird and surreal? Check. Queer characters? Check. Unfiltered, unbridled humor that crosses in disturbing and macabre territory? Absolutely. This film was unmistakably from the same filmmaker who made Doom Generation and Nowhere, but clearly had grown since and had more control over his signature style. This film took Fifty Shades of Grey, spun it on its head and made something much more impactful and original. From Gregg’s decision to gender swap the power dynamics, to showing how unfair the power dynamic is, it was really well done.

Olivia Wilde fucking killed it this Sundance, between this movie and The Invite (Which I will be doing the review for shortly) she came to fucking play. Gregg in the post-film interview said how he told Olivia Wilde that if she took on the character she’d have to go all in, and she certainly did. Her portrayal and commitment to this zany character was utterly fearless. She owned the sexuality, the absurdity, the hot and cold aspects of this vibrant character. Through the mixture of her acting and Araki’s writing, you really come to both hate and love her character. She is an absolute nightmare dominatrix in this movie and frankly, I’m here for it.

Cooper Hoffman does an excellent job portraying his hapless intern character. He certainly had to have a lot of bravery to do this character, considering just how exploited this character gets. His dynamic with Emily Blunt is believable and he plays an excellent foil to her.

Did we mention that Charlie XCX is in this movie too? As with all of my favorite Araki films, the side characters are just as fun and interesting as the main characters and help flesh out this multicolored, wild world. Every one of them brought something beautiful to this absurd portrait and piece of art.

This film was cool in that it very much so felt like a filmmaker with 90’s sensibilities tackling the modern day and making a loving statement about Gen Z. A gentle reminder that it’s okay to let loose, make dumb decisions, and be wild when you’re young. I desperately want to rewatch this film and try studying every little nuance a little more, because it definitely came fully loaded with content.

The humor was piping hot, the dialogue rolled off the tongue, the absurdity and loudness was in your face. This film was unmistakably an Araki Picture, and possibly one of his finest yet.

Our Grade: A+, Was there any doubt? I’m going to own this movie as soon as it becomes available. This is in my top three Araki films, alongside Doom Generation and Nowhere. Is it for everyone? Absolutely not. Is it for me? You’re goddamn right.

Chai’s Take:

What Chai Thinks: Hi! I get to do a dual review with Ripley on this one. Fun story: I have no idea how many of us on the waitlist got into this early-morning screening following its premiere, but I was one of the lucky few who got in. What can I say–my queer angels had my back and I actually got a pretty good seat closer to the screen! That having been said, BI-PANIC BI-PANIC!!

I’m no stranger to Gregg Araki’s work. It’s a terrible sin I had to miss our Araki podcast episode on the SNOBCAST! but as a small consolation, I’m happy to plug-in and say that I’ve managed to greedily consume a majority of daddy’s works over the years. My favorites? Mysterious Skin, White Bird in a Blizzard, Smiley Face, Kaboom, Nowhere, Doom Generation, Now Apocalypse…. as of right now, the only features I’m missing are his first three features and Splendor. Araki needs no introduction as to how much of a powerhouse pioneer filmmaker he is in the queer new wave film movement, and has been for decades now. What makes having seen his latest crash course into colorfully perverted audaciousness all the more gratifying is the validation that the voices that helped fuel the queer cinema movements are still as needed as ever. Araki lets loose in a stylized bash of the BDSM adventures between subservient puppy dog intern Elliot (Hoffman) and evil bitch fairy godmother dominatrix Erika Tracy (Wilde). We get everything: juicy pops of color over plenty of sexually-charged scenes decorated by bombastic art direction. It’s all just sooo eye candy: the hot cast, yummy costume design, and playful production design of it all. Of course, we expect nothing less from Araki. IWYS is borderline cartoonish, though never looses the strangely tender and morally grey throughline of a new-age, entirely inappropriate work relationship between an opportunistic Gen Z’er and jaded, conniving millennial. Whether you abhorred or missed the Now, Apocalypse chapter (which personally, I found the first season a comfort in spite of being forced to watch it alone out of the potential for being mistaken for watching softcore porn), IWYS seems to be the spiritual band-aid / continuation of the since-discontinued miniseries, which also involved similar plotlines and characters (eg., the workaholic dominatrix, the inexperienced cute-guy who everyone wants, and even what seems to be a first draft of the character Apple, Elliot’s sexually confused roommate who I also have a hunch was named after Charli XCX’s hit single from brat), though this feature finds itself more grounded in reality and doesn’t involve aliens or psychic visions (per se) and is sure to appeal to a broader audience.

This unabashed romp is a joyful, hilarious sex comedy that mixes sex appeal, mystery, coming-of-age, and Araki’s trademark dialogue that doubles as sexual education that leaves you wanting more. Cooper Hoffman is adorable and believable as the adventurous Elliot and Olivia Wilde is serving cunt in what is probably the greatest film depiction of a dominatrix I’ve seen up to this point.

Our Grade: A+, Araki ate: this is very much one of his career-bests, as well as being the lead actors’ career bests. I love everything about this movie, Ripley and I both came out of the screening jolly and invigorated. One could say, it’s the feel-good BDSM-mance of the year. I can’t wait to watch it again and love that it proves yet again we need to continue supporting eccentric, bold, shameless, and playful filmmakers.