The Oh in Ohio

I like it when movies don't treat sex too seriously. It's OK to laugh during love scenes. I applaud any attempt to bring truly "adult-themed" movies to the American audience. But, for some reason, I really wasn't amused by OH! In fact, I found myself frequently glancing at the clock; I barely made it through to the end of the DVD.

OH! was trying so hard (too hard) to be like Sex in the City, what with its jazz-lite music and an improbably sunny depiction of a big city (Cleveland instead of NY). But where Sex in the City was truly adult material treated in an adult manner, OH! seemed childish.

It felt like maybe it had a great original script that attracted talented actors, but then ended up watered down by the executives so that "it will play well to middle America." So instead of a true indie production that pushes boundaries, you get a watered-down, corporate friendly flick that's neither mainstream nor "edgy." Worst of both worlds.

Not sexy. Not funny. Not believable.

I wanted to like this movie more than I did, but I just didn't. Some of the people at the SXSW fest really enjoyed it, but there was a large majority- such as myself- that almost walked out.

Parker Posey is, well- Parker Posey again. Sometimes I find her funny, but a lot of the time I find her shtick a little tedious, and where I really like her as a supporting player, when she's the lead I start to get a headache. Perhaps that's just me, but if you ever thought she may be a little over the top, this is not the film for you.

Paul Rudd is okay, but he has scenes with Micha Barton, who is to acting what wood is to forests, so there was no hope for those scenes.

The standout for me, surprisingly, was Danny DeVito. He brings a warmth and reality to a supporting role (clearly based on Wallace Shawns character in Annie Hall) that took me by surprise and made me remember why I love him so.

The film itself tries very hard to get noticed, sometimes in that puerile Farrely Brothers HEY LOOK AT ME! kind of way, which I'm sure my 14 year old nephew would enjoy. ("Hey, they're talking about SEX!! Wheeee!") but after a while it made me long for a comedy like, say, Annie Hall or Manhattan (am I dating myself?) where the people are adult and smart and interesting and attractive and don't try so hard to be funny, but just ARE funny.

I'd be interested to see this director/writers next film, hopefully they'll have a little more faith in themselves and a little less need to keep the volume so loud.

A movie about orgasms. Well, why not? This flick is very, very funny. With the right marketing, I think it could quite a sleeper.

Cast is tops, particularly Posey, Bailey and DeVito. Paul Rudd is one hot guy.

Liza Minnelli's cameo is every bit as hysterical her antics on "Arrested Development." It's great to see her on a big screen again. (And you will never hear the word "vagina" the same way after Liza's delivery of it in this movie.)

There haven't been very many intelligent, truly witty Hollywood sex comedies of late. "The Oh in Ohio" is a welcome addition to the genre.

There are few redeeming aspects in this showcase of irresponsible, unmotivated filmmaking. The characters, dialog, and situations were nearly as uncomfortable and awkward as the premise of a woman trying to have an orgasm. I don't understand how a film mainly about sex can be so boring, slow, uninteresting and UN-sexy. The pacing is far too slow for what is supposed to be a fun, quirky film, and the editing is loose with some confusing cuts. The entire film felt unnatural, uncomfortable, and bored. A few plot points and lines of dialog were entirely confusing and unclear, and by the end of the film I felt lost. The student and Sherri characters were poorly written and poorly executed – they felt like characters in a book I was reading. They weren't dynamic and didn't feel truly alive and present. Their comments were unnatural and strange, and didn't fit in with the rest of the film. Also, a very confusing aspect of the film was the relationship between Priscilla and Wayne – I won't give everything away, but throughout the whole film I was confused about their past, present, and until the end, future.

So now you might be wondering about those redeeming qualities I mentioned earlier. Paul Rudd is an excellent actor, which somehow manages to show through in this film. However, his skill is weighed down, limited, and ultimately trapped and killed by the poor writing, directing, and overall execution of this story. Danny DeVito is the only thing that manages to rise above this snooze-fest to make it somewhat enjoyable. His character is developed, complex, motivated and real in a world of fake, tired, hollow shells of people. Overall though, this film is slow, barely able to capture and hold attention, and left no impact on my view of the world. I believe that each film is worth watching once – to watch this film again would be a waste of time.

"The Oh in Ohio" had a lot of the ingredients to make it a successful film but it didn't quite do it for me. I enjoy the premise of the film as it centers on the Priscilla's sexual awakening. I enjoy Paul Rudd's performance. He is always likable. I commend the film for pairing an unlikely couple together, even though it is not within the norms of Hollywood. However, I found the film to be oddly hollow. While I appreciated the trajectory and character arc of Priscilla and Jack, I also found it difficult to pinpoint the point of the story. Priscilla's narrative felt confident. It knew where it wanted to go. However, Paul Rudd's storyline seems muddied. I wasn't sure how his narrative fit into the grand scheme of the movie. The ending seemed abrupt and unconvincing. It left us a void that the movie should have filled. That said, it is still an enjoyable film. Paul Rudd and Parker Posey are great enough actors to keep us captivated, even if the story doesn't do them justice.