The thing I love about film festivals is that you end up seeing films you'd otherwise not go out and see. It's one of the most rewarding experiences to walk into a movie, completely blind, and end up surprised by how amazing it was. How to Have Sex (easily one of the best, eye and attention catching titles ever), is a perfect example of this.
I could go on and on about how amazing this film is. But, I'll start with what I assume is going to be a common criticism. No, the movie doesn't have a ton of resolution. We don't get big emotional blow ups and declarations of love, as you'd expect from a Hollywood film. In the style of British social realism, this film feels so raw and real, often like we're flies on the wall just watching these three teens on holiday. For better, in my opinion, the film feels like a slice of life and these characters have things going out outside of what we're seeing. Not only that, but there's painstaking realism to the social dynamics as well. The tension within a group and between them, the incredible energy of making new friends.
How to Have Sex follows three girls, Tara (Mia McKenna Bruce), Skye (Lara Peake), and Em (Enva Lewis) on a holiday to Malia, essentially the party capital of Greece for high schoolers and college kids (think Cancun or Miami during Spring Break). What I immediately was taken aback by were the INCREDIBLE performances, especially from McKenna-Bruce. The dialog and performances are so naturalistic, I'd swear this was all improvised. I seriously think McKenna-Bruce delivers an Oscar worthy performance here. She conveys so much through glances and facial expressions, but when she is speaking, she's effortlessly charming, interesting, and funny as hell.
And, you know when you're hanging out with people and you're cackling at all the jokes, that wouldn't make sense if on screen? This movie captures that; little side comments, little barbs here and there (bantz as the Brits call it), that had the audience cracking up. This is simultaneously one of the most devastating, and hilarious films of the year. Shout out to Shaun Thomas, who delivers an amazing comedic performance, and whose character becomes one of the best in the film.
The party scenes are incredible, as they capture what it's really like to go out and enjoy a night of debauchery. The druken stupors, the sweat, the booming music, and most of all, the performances and editing evoked this feeling in me so much, that while watching the film I literally remembered nights out that I had. This film captures the highs and lows of being a young person partying; the snippets of the night before, the techno music, the moments when, for a minute or two, you gain a sort of self awareness and get conscious about the vapid nature of what you're doing, only to interact with fellow partyers who restore your faith in humanity through their kindness. (Yes, this is all from personal experience too).
And yes, this film captures the darker side of it all too. The fear when a young woman doesn't come home with the rest of the group and the very real instances of young men taking advantage of the drugs and alcohol for sex. I liked how, despite tackling this topic, the film isn't ALL about that and even when it becomes a prominent aspect of it, there's ambiguity. It goes to respectable lengths to not paint all men as evil monsters, to portray sexual assault and rape in the frankly realistic way it usually happens, and the effects of it. Yet, you're left with a hopeful feeling that Tara will persist, even if nothing in her life is resolved. While some may be dissatisfied by the lack of resolution, I found it comforting, to be honest.
Director Molly Manning Walker did a bang on job with every aspect of this film. It's truly a style of filmmaking I wish I saw more of, to be honest; one that's subtle, but entertaining. It takes it time, but it feels like a breeze. Yes, the film is unpolished and yes, some characters do get the short end of the stick. It's honestly a tad too short, which is perhaps the ultimate backhanded compliment for a movie.
Yeah, I loved this thing. What a brilliant, moving, funny, memorable, powerful surprise How to Have Sex was.
I could go on and on about how amazing this film is. But, I'll start with what I assume is going to be a common criticism. No, the movie doesn't have a ton of resolution. We don't get big emotional blow ups and declarations of love, as you'd expect from a Hollywood film. In the style of British social realism, this film feels so raw and real, often like we're flies on the wall just watching these three teens on holiday. For better, in my opinion, the film feels like a slice of life and these characters have things going out outside of what we're seeing. Not only that, but there's painstaking realism to the social dynamics as well. The tension within a group and between them, the incredible energy of making new friends.
How to Have Sex follows three girls, Tara (Mia McKenna Bruce), Skye (Lara Peake), and Em (Enva Lewis) on a holiday to Malia, essentially the party capital of Greece for high schoolers and college kids (think Cancun or Miami during Spring Break). What I immediately was taken aback by were the INCREDIBLE performances, especially from McKenna-Bruce. The dialog and performances are so naturalistic, I'd swear this was all improvised. I seriously think McKenna-Bruce delivers an Oscar worthy performance here. She conveys so much through glances and facial expressions, but when she is speaking, she's effortlessly charming, interesting, and funny as hell.
And, you know when you're hanging out with people and you're cackling at all the jokes, that wouldn't make sense if on screen? This movie captures that; little side comments, little barbs here and there (bantz as the Brits call it), that had the audience cracking up. This is simultaneously one of the most devastating, and hilarious films of the year. Shout out to Shaun Thomas, who delivers an amazing comedic performance, and whose character becomes one of the best in the film.
The party scenes are incredible, as they capture what it's really like to go out and enjoy a night of debauchery. The druken stupors, the sweat, the booming music, and most of all, the performances and editing evoked this feeling in me so much, that while watching the film I literally remembered nights out that I had. This film captures the highs and lows of being a young person partying; the snippets of the night before, the techno music, the moments when, for a minute or two, you gain a sort of self awareness and get conscious about the vapid nature of what you're doing, only to interact with fellow partyers who restore your faith in humanity through their kindness. (Yes, this is all from personal experience too).
And yes, this film captures the darker side of it all too. The fear when a young woman doesn't come home with the rest of the group and the very real instances of young men taking advantage of the drugs and alcohol for sex. I liked how, despite tackling this topic, the film isn't ALL about that and even when it becomes a prominent aspect of it, there's ambiguity. It goes to respectable lengths to not paint all men as evil monsters, to portray sexual assault and rape in the frankly realistic way it usually happens, and the effects of it. Yet, you're left with a hopeful feeling that Tara will persist, even if nothing in her life is resolved. While some may be dissatisfied by the lack of resolution, I found it comforting, to be honest.
Director Molly Manning Walker did a bang on job with every aspect of this film. It's truly a style of filmmaking I wish I saw more of, to be honest; one that's subtle, but entertaining. It takes it time, but it feels like a breeze. Yes, the film is unpolished and yes, some characters do get the short end of the stick. It's honestly a tad too short, which is perhaps the ultimate backhanded compliment for a movie.
Yeah, I loved this thing. What a brilliant, moving, funny, memorable, powerful surprise How to Have Sex was.