Sex Is Comedy (2002) User Reviews

Don't think that you know what kind of movie this is, just by reading the title.

[philip_vanderveken · 6/10 · 12 April 2005]

I had certain expectations when reading the title of this movie. No, I didn't think it would be a porn movie, but I hoped it would be a light-footed comedy about relations and sex. But big was my surprise when I actually saw it. It hasn't much to do with comedy or relationships. It's about Jeanne, a female film director who has a lot of troubles with her two main actors. They both hate each other, but are asked to play a difficult sex scene together. She has written and created the scene and knows exactly what she wants but she isn't able to make them do it right...

If you ask yourself why this movie has such a confusing title then, I'll explain to you what might have happened. Even though this is a French movie with French dialogs, the title is in English. However, I guess they have translated the title too literally. In French it would be something like: "Sex, c'est jouer la comédie", which could be translated as "Sex is faking it". That would make a lot more sense, because the actors have to pretend they like each other and that they like to have sex together while in reality they can't stand each other and don't want to do it.

The main problem that I had with this movie was that much didn't happen. It was all talking, talking and even more talking. I'm not saying that I wanted a big sex scene or a huge car chase, but this movie just seemed to drag on eternally, without offering something special. Normally I like European movies, but this one really didn't do it for me. Somehow I couldn't really care for the different characters, even though they didn't do a bad job. I give this movie a 6/10.

On location

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 24 March 2006]

Catherine Brreillat is a French director who loves to provoke her audience. She takes us along to witness how a film is done on location. The movie in production seems to be based on herself, since the person at the center of the story is Jeanne, a woman director, much like Ms. Breillat. Jeanne acts as the alter ego of the real director.

Jeanne reaches an impasse at the start of filming. Not only has she picked the wrong time to photograph this movie during a cold spell, as it involves beach locations that are obviously too cold for the actors and extras. Jeanne has problems with the two principal actors, especially, the male lead who has problems accepting the way the director has decided to show him in the movie; the lead actress is no angel either.

Movie making, Ms. Breillat tells us is a process like no other in a creative work of art. First, there is the writing period, in which, in this case, Jeanne, has written a screen play, that when it goes into production reveals problems the writer/director didn't think about. There is the problem of how she wants to photograph a love scene in which the young woman of the story has her first sex contact. What appeared clever in the written page, doesn't necessarily translate into an easy time in front of the camera. The actor is made to wear a false penis and has a lot of problems accepting the fact that a make up has to touch him in ways he never thought he would ever be touched by another man.

The luminous Anne Parillaud is marvelous as Jeanne, the director. She makes observations about the production, the actors, and the crew that fit well into the story being told. Gregoire Colin and Roxane Mesquide play the lead actors, with all the insecurity that some actors bring to a movie set. Jeanne has to massage their egos in order to get what she wants in the end. Ashley Waninnger plays Leo, Jeanne's assistant.

"Sex Is Comedy" allows Ms. Breillet to give us her own take on films in general. This is a great look at the way movies are done in a typical Breillat style.

An interesting concept, but a little lost in itself.

[zclfd65 · 6/10 · 29 January 2008]

Sex Is Comedy is a film based upon Breillat's personal experience in filming a sex scene. Trying to inspire a performance that meets her particular demands, Jeanne (Anna Parillaud), the director (based on Breillat) has to overcome the obstacles of her own perfectionism and the obvious animosity between her stubborn actor (Gregoire Colin) and actress (Roxane Mesquida). The Actor is more concerned with playing up to the crew members off camera than putting in a convincing performance on camera, whilst the Actress is more concerned with talking to her boyfriend on the phone than focusing on the film. Jeanne struggles throughout to create the scene as she sees it in her head, but through an oddly intimate relationship with her personal assistant, The Actor and The Actress, manages to coax the performance out of them in a strongly emotional climax.

Just as frustrations arise for Jeanne, i too found myself getting a little frustrated at the lack of pace - though this, perhaps, is the point of the film; documenting the arduous nature of film-making and the difficulties that can arise in trying to artificially create an intimate scene between strangers who may well hate each other. In this respect, Sex Is Comedy is a reflection on the nature of cinema – Breillat is raising a mirror to the camera and giving us a 'behind the scenes' look at the problems which present themselves to directors, crews and casts.

At times, however, this concept becomes a little confusing. The boundaries between the film within the film, the film itself and Breillat's personal experiences becomes so blurred that it was difficult to discern quite what where we find ourselves. In short, whilst the film very interestingly focuses on the idea of mise-en-abyme, i found myself spiralling into the abyss without knowing quite how to take myself out of it.

Revealing the intricacies of the so called "Making of".

[FilmCriticLalitRao · 6/10 · 25 June 2007]

According to Catherine Breillat many people believe that by watching "making of" they can understand the intricacies of the actual shooting process. She opines that this is not quite the case and the real process of filming a feature film is unfortunately very complex,hard to follow and difficult to understand. She goes on to add that rather than simplifying the creative process these programs end up confusing the viewers. Keeping this particular idea in mind, she has filmed a unique,trend setting film which relies heavily on the whims and fancies of its principal characters. One can have a first hand experience of how difficult things are on a set when a film is being shot. Compared to other films by Catherine Breillat,sex is comedy is devoid of controversial elements. As a film director in this film Anne Parillaud looks a bit similar to Catherine Breillat.Gregoire Colin is fine too as the moody actor. As a final comment, I would like to remark that this film is very serene and an inattentive viewer might not know how quickly the film is getting over.

All about a director directing a film and little more.

[=G= · 6/10 · 27 February 2005]

"Sex is Comedy" is an open ended light drama about a film director, Parillaud (Nikita), working on a film toward the sex scene between her young male and female leads. There's no story in this film which simply shows how a director might work with her cast and crew while trying to squeeze, cajole, or otherwise evoke the nuances she desires from the a recalcitrant male lead and his reluctantly willing partner while wrangling cameras and crews and the foibles which beset a film director at work. This film conjures some insights into what being a film director involves and the hard work required of cast and crew while making a film and, I suppose, the techniques and methods of this film's director, Brelliat. There are similarities between the sex scene in this film and that in another Brelliat film, "Fat Girl", which is little more than noteworthy. "Sex is Comedy" doesn't walk on the edge of pornography as do other Brelliat films and will be of most interest to those interested in film direction Brelliat style. (B-)

Unbelievably boring movie.

[dr_wolfi_d · 1/10 · 20 February 2008]

1 hour and 40 minutes of talking--boring talking, and more talking and then some. It is hard for me to grasp how an actress like Anne Parillaud, who shone superbly in Femme Fatale, would sign up for such a piece of crap! Unbelievable. If you need a nightcap, this movie might help, although I would prefer some nice classical music. unfortunately, i just found out that i have to write 10 lines for my comment to appear--that's almost as unbelievable! so, short and succinct one or two sentence commentaries expressing one's core take on a movie is not enough. geez, people. i made my point and don't to waste your time with more, unnecessary words--as this movie does. Wolfgang

Good Film

[Michael_Elliott · 28 February 2008]

Sex is Comedy (2002)

*** (out of 4)

French film from the controversial Catherine Breillat is more a companion piece to her masterpiece Fat Girl than a film on its own. In this film, a director (Anne Parillaud) is having trouble filming a sex scene because her actor (Gregoire Colin) and actress (Roxane Mesquida) can't stand one another. That's pretty much the entire story but the film is so much more than that because it really gives us a behind the scenes look at what goes on during filming such a scene. As with the director's next film Anatomy of Hell, this one here didn't get very good reviews but I was totally captivated by it. I'm not sure what it is but Breillat can make just about anything seem real and interesting. It's clear that this sex scene being shot is her personal experience from the filming of Fat Girl. The sex scene here is the same one from that film and the actress here is also the same one used in that film. The performances by the three leads are all very good but the movie belongs to Parillaud as the director being tortured by her actors. Parillaud really nails the role as the frustrated director willing to do anything to get the scene in the can. I think the film works best if you've seen Fat Girl because you can watch the filming here and know what eventually came from it. It's rather interesting watching this film and seeing what all went into making Fat Girl and more clearly, what it took to pull off the sex scene in question, which is one of the most haunting yet beautiful ones that I've seen. This film certainly isn't about sex and there's no comedy to be found but it is about a director trying to get both out of her actors.

the art of Breillat

[talkingada · 7/10 · 8 June 2002]

As being selected during the Quinzaine des réalisateurs, this year 2002, Catherine Breillat is masterfully halvedivided of her autobiographical film, there where her lead actress, Anne Parillaud (La Femme NIKITA, Luc Besson), embodies admirably the Film Director of "Intimate Scenes ".

This is a comedy of actors' manners. Making-Of ? Film genre ? Pornography or Exhibitionism? Sex Is Comedy is a post modern film, with its script based on a film within the film. As an implosive story of a minimalist love scene, the film is built with a constant solidarity of the forms and the spirit, in which, Breillat keeps on breaking and analyzing the taboos. Using visual codes and certain sense of the formula, Catherine Breillat implement her clinical analysis of the sexuality as an isolated problem outside the society to be communicate by the door of the heart.

Therefore, Grégoire Colin (Good Work, Nénette et Boni, Claire Denis, The Dreamlife of Angels, Eric Zonca) in the role of the Actor and Roxanne Mesquida (Fat girl, Catherine Breillat, Marie from the Bay of Angels, Manuel Prada), the Actress, are actors whom she invents, she does clarify in an interview. Breillat observes the man in front of him even, a chaste man. Then Breillat films the shame and the sexual mutilation, but also a big hope, a disturbing dimension of the ecstasy, a nudity of the feelings, the halving of the exhibitionism, playing to be one to be one. The Director is finally expected to lead the actors to give their feelings, their body and their soul. So arranged, facing the problem of the order of "who I am ", the actors of Breillat put on an inorganic vitality to merge in her work in progress. But, for what is a shape of incredible exorcism, for an actor, Breillat puts many questionings. Enduring at the same moment a big suffering, the actors appear to be the ones who look for this loving transport to be part of the eternity of their work.

The Art of Breillat is of researcher, to know how to undertake in a dialogue aiming at pushing away the limits of intimate scenes. Join make-up, prosthesis in erection and syndicates are not without reminding what pictures and scenes of Jan Steen's and Rembrandt could be in the anecdotal and the daily of characters on a shooting set. While the moral categories disappear from the background of Sex Is Comedy, Breillat succeeds in revealing the loving imitation power of the actors in a landscape of formidable and dramatic humanity.

Not very funny for a "comedy"

[dmasursky · 5/10 · 25 July 2005]

As other users have noted, this movie is not really what you expect from a film billed as a comedy. I enjoy movies about making movies and I think this is definitely worth seeing if you like that genre. But it's not a movie to see if you're in the mood for a comedy, or if you think it's going to be sensuous or sexy, as I found it neither. The director harangues and insults the Actor and coddles the (beautiful but talentless) Actress and flirts with her assistant and often stands around looking troubled, trying to capture her vision (of a young girl losing her virginity) on film. **Spoiler Alert** Apparently her vision is very close to rape, IMO, and I found it extremely off-putting, after waiting an hour and half to *finally* get to it. It's not an especially satisfying film, though I might have enjoyed it more if I'd had the right expectations.

Worth checking out

[smatysia · 7/10 · 1 June 2006]

Pretty darn good for a French film. I have not seen any of Catherine Breillat's previous films, and so have no opinions about this compared to her previous work. French cinema usually sticks to the ultimately arty films, and leaves the shoot-em-ups and star vehicles to Hollywood. That is probably a good business strategy, as no other nation's film industry will likely have the resources to compete on those sorts of projects. Films about film-making are often a bore, as it has little resonance for people not in the business. But this one held my interest much more than I thought it would. In spite of the title, (oddly in English) it really isn't much of a comedy, in spite of a few droll moments. I've only seen a few of Anne Parillaud's films, but she shows a generous amount of talent and range, from the action/psychological drama of "La Femme Nikita" to the wry comedy of "Innocent Blood". This film also extends her range as she plays a more or less ordinary woman, yet is still compelling on the screen. Kudos also to Roxane Mesquida, with whom I was unfamiliar. She plays a very inexpressive actress for most of the film, whose talent is drawn out at the end. If you don't HAVE to have car chases and explosions to be entertained, check this one out.

Among the worst movies I have ever seen

[surbon514 · 2/10 · 1 August 2005]

I'd really have to rate "Sex is Comedy" as one of the worst pieces of dreck I have ever seen. The film inadvertedly showcases those which are the worst aspects of the French, or at least how they are stereotyped, narcissism, snobbery, and pseudo-intellectualism. I myself am French-Canadian and feel slightly ashamed that the creators of this film are from the same culture as me, that should give you an idea as to how bad this movie really was! One doesn't so much watch this film as undergo torture to it, there was a total lack of humour, and it seemed to me as if the entire film was a documentary interviewing people who were neither famous, nor talented, as if to celebrate something that has never happened to begin with. Instead, why not watch Auberge Espagnole, Happenstance, or Je t'aime... a la folie, three fantastic modern French films.

Fascinating insights under the guise of entertaining comedy

[Chris_Docker · 8/10 · 22 August 2002]

Another fabulous movie from Catherine Breillat, this time about the difficulties of shooting a sex scene in a movie. Using comedy – a new genre for Breillat – we get a backstage view of filmmaking but in documentary style. The character who plays the director in the movie is based on Breillat, the sex scene in question is taken from her earlier film ‘A Ma Soeur' as is the main teenage actress. But the film, like all of Breillat's work, is not entertainment alone. It is peppered with philosophical observations on the nature of sexuality as well as demonstrating a devotion to ‘purity' (as opposed to pornography) that is a cornerstone of Breillat's work and a devotion to real emotion. We see the director character harangue the young lead actress and actor to bring the best out in them, hypnotising them into the parts they need to play, bringing out part of themselves that the director can see in them but they cannot see in themselves until they achieve the heights of acting that she demands of them. She makes meaningful movies, not titillation, but she shows the work that is needed to produce this, and so gives us insights both into the (decidedly French) film making process and the psychology of male – female sexuality.

Very Talky

[derek-duerden · 6/10 · 19 December 2023]

Once you have a film where the film-within-a-film looks more interesting than the film (like in Bergman Island, perhaps) then you know you're in trouble.

However, here, it's not just the endless philosophising that gets in the way - for me, it was the "actor". Presumably deliberately, he so often comes across as a petulant child that you wonder why anyone would put up with him. (I guess there are plenty of examples from history for this, but this guy gives no evidence of being "so gifted he's worth it"...)

Overall, the feeling is one of self-indulgence - not only is there a film-within-a-film, it's one that Breillat has already made - so perhaps this is some kind of twisted revenge? Who knows?

don't waste your money

[biker212007 · 4/10 · 19 March 2005]

The first users comments are very detailed for a very vague movie. Not saying that I disagree, but this summary can be written in a few sentences. To get straight to the point, this is pretty much like watching the making of a really bad amateur porno flick. There are a few funny points in the movie, but with the kind of things that happen in todays youth everyday its actually kind of lame. The main actor in the movie is a pompous jackass and both guy and girl in the film are way too modest to be in a film like this. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS MOVIE. The only reason why I gave it a 4 and not a 1 is that they used at least a somewhat attractive girl in the movie and towards the end you got to see almost full frontal nudity from the girl, thats it, thats the only thing thats worth watching it for. the end

Her Best

[tedg · 5 June 2005]

All of us, and certainly most filmmakers are trapped in small worlds. But it must be hell to be trapped in one that society recognizes as such. Breillat makes sometimes sensitive movies, all from within this tight shell, all with the same screams.

But this one is different, a whole new tone. This time she follows a French model for films that are essays: she makes a film about a film that is an essay on sex. It works because such things are talk about movies and the portrayal of life in movies.

It works because we don't have to relate to the poor girl in question, instead the filmmaker who is struggling with the representation.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

A Wordy, Meandering and Tiresome Diatribe That is Anything BUT a Comedy

[gradyharp · 3/10 · 28 August 2005]

As one who loves films that appeal to intellectual sorties as well as those that simply tell stories, this film should have been appealing. But as written and directed by Catherine Breillat who seems to be playing out her own conundrums in film-making experiences, this tedious and talky film fails to arouse interest.

The main character Jeanne (Anne Parillaud) is the screen form of Breillat, a director frustrated in her attempts to film a convincing sex scene with two difficult actors (Grégoire Colin is The Actor and Roxane Mesquida is The Actress). The one 'comic' bit is Jeanne's imposing the use of a dildo strapped onto the Actor in order for her to drive the sex scene to fruition, but even this sight gag wears thin quickly and we are left with a film within a film that feels more like a 'Deleted Scenes' featurette on a DVD than a solid French comedy with class. Grady Harp, August 05

A disillusion at the end of the movie!

[henk321 · 1/10 · 30 November 2007]

I don't recommend watching this movie. It's a movie in which a movie is being filmed, with no attraction between actress and actor being played. The sex scene at the end of the movie which is to explain the reluctance of the actress (being played in the movie) to cooperate with the actor (being played in the movie)in it is a blunt repetition of the same scene in the Breillat movie Fat Girl. Everything there was played with more delicacy, if you can attach delicacy to a sex act like that. A typical French expression for the the thing happening in Sex is comedy is Oh la la! In Breillat's film Brief Crossing there also is sensitivity. In Sex is comedy I don't see real sensitivity and also a clear plot for the movie is not being developed so that there is a rather loose story with the disillusion of the end.

In the mind of a Director

[ashrumm · 8/10 · 22 December 2005]

This film was very interesting to me, virtually a film within a film, which is about a very whimsical director who cleverly persuades an actress and and actor (who happen to dislike each other) in producing sexual chemistry on film. The director is faced with a fusillade of obstacles as she tries to get the two individuals to perform beautifully on film. Sex is Comedy is much more than a comedy, packed with uncomfortable quirky moments the movie also addresses the psychological and innate instinctual behavior of men and women in regards to the sometimes controversial act of sex. I loved this film, the character Jeanne played by the beautiful Anne Parillaud performs wonderfully on screen as you share in her struggle to produce a motion picture work of art.

Boring and pretentious

[hall895 · 4/10 · 14 November 2013]

Boring and pretentious is not a good combination for a film. Unfortunately that is the combination we get with Sex Is Comedy. It is a film in which nothing ever happens. Seriously, nothing. A bunch of talk (about nothing), then more talk (still about nothing) as the film slogs along, boring you to tears. The whole time director Catherine Breillat, who is essentially making a movie about herself making another movie, beats you over the head with how powerful the subject matter is. Except it is not powerful at all. It's a movie about a director struggling to film a sex scene. This is not nearly as grave a matter as Breillat would have you believe. It's a "look at me" effort from the director, trying to impress upon you just how important she is. She's not as important as she thinks. And she has ended up making a rather terrible movie. Movies which take a look at the making of movies are usually pretty interesting, especially for serious film fanatics. This film has a few telling behind the scenes moments but overall it does not work. There is just not enough interesting stuff going on here to hold your attention.

The movie is barely over 90 minutes long but it seems interminable, dragging painfully all the way through. It is a film which never sparks to life. The central character, the director, is passionate about making her film but we never truly feel that passion. In playing the role Anne Parillaud, who is essentially playing Breillat herself, leaves you cold. Meanwhile Grégoire Colin, playing the film within the film's stubborn actor, is quite terrible. Only Roxane Mesquida, playing the actress, comes away with any credit at all but honestly she has very little to do. The whole film is Parillaud and Colin, the director and actor, talking and talking and talking and never actually accomplishing anything. These two are constantly bickering back and forth about the big sex scene which is treated as if it is the most important endeavor in human history. When your boring film is building up to nothing more than the filming of a sex scene you're in trouble. There's no chance the ending will redeem all the drivel which preceded it. Sex Is Comedy is a very limp effort from a director who is not nearly as big a deal as she thinks she is.

Indulgence is Not Comedy

[kenjha · 5/10 · 26 December 2012]

A director struggles to film a key scene of her movie. This is apparently meant to be an autobiography of sorts for Breillat. Parrault, who made a splash as a ruthless killer in "La Femme Nikita" here plays a very different character. She is actually quite good as Breillat's alter-ego, a director obsessed with getting a sex scene in her movie just right. The whole film builds up to this one scene and it's just much ado about nothing, as Breillat's self-indulgence is transferred to Parrault. There's just too much talk, as she has to sooth the egos of her actors, who behave as if they were doing Shakespeare instead of what appears to be soft-core porn.

What a conceit!

[Aristides-2 · 2/10 · 29 March 2012]

This might be an ironic film whose story is meant to portray what someone not in the film business thinks an "artistic" director is like and how they 'create' a movie. Perhaps the viewer is meant to supply something not included in the story or even hinted at: a director who is quite wealthy and is doing a vanity production which would allow the non-professionalism of it all. Or............. a wealthy parent or grandparent subsidizing the movie. (How else to explain a full professional and probable union crew being sent off the set (tick-tock, ching- ching) while the auteur figures things out. The director, obviously innocent of storyboarding or videoing important scenes between the two leading players in something called pre-production rehearsal, becomes "creative" instead of professional and that all-purpose, omniscient smile of hers, after seeing it for awhile, makes one think of a mad person, totally self-involved. Of course, some backer in real life did sign the check so one is left in wondering how Ms. Breillant was able to sell this script. "This might be an ironic film whose story, etc.", I said at the top of this review. No, it isn't and oh the overwhelming self-indulgence of it all!

Sophomoric Drivel

[MBT · 3/10 · 15 September 2011]

Toward the end of the movie, one of the main characters says, "Nudity is so boring." That's easy for him to say. He's on that side of the screen.

Anything -- nudity, aliens, raindrops against a windowpane -- anything to relieve the boredom and tedious dialog that so many French film makers think is deep and meaningful but which is just annoying. It isn't deep. It isn't meaningful. It's just silly nonsense to endure.

What a waste of talent from actors to whom art is everything and yet nothing. Wait. Now they've got me doing it.

I'm going to go watch a gangster film.

The politics of filmmaking....

[DukeEman · 8/10 · 23 March 2015]

This is Breillat's more accessible film, if you are offended by her other movies that tend to have full frontal nudity and explicit sexual scenes. It is also her most intelligent film, where words are at play and relationships are tested.

The backdrop is a movie set, and director Jeanne has a dilemma with her actors, a fear of that big sex scene. She plays and manipulates her stars, creating a mix emotion of tension and harmony. After all it is her movie and reputation on the line, because the credit on the screen will read; A FILM BY...

Breillat's approach to this is subtle, looking into the anxieties of the director, the manipulation and mistreatment of actors, and the wonderful world of politics on the crazy film set where dreams are made.

Dazzling, Brilliant Breillat

[jayraskin1 · 10/10 · 6 December 2011]

This is only the second Breillat film that I've seen and I'm wondering which star from the heavens she dropped down from. What film has ever captured the filmmaking process so perfectly - maybe Truffaut's "Day for Night," or Tom Decillo's "Living In Oblivion?" Not better but as well. What film has ever spoken so truthfully about sex? None, simply none. Who has combined cinema and sexual discourse like this? Nobody. Not Bergman, not Allen, not even Bertolucci. Maybe Lina Wurtmuller to some degree. The first filmmaker was a woman - Alice Guy-Blaché The last filmmaker is a woman - Catherine Breillat. Performances are outstanding. Direction is outstanding.