Der Aufreisser

"Sex and Death 101" tries to be so many things at the same: a romantic flick, a dark comedy, a mystery-drama and a highly philosophical movie in the vein of "Matrix" (even including a white room where existential questions are discussed). Well, as I've said in the headline, the movie definitely does have its intriguing moments and there are quite a few meaningful lines in the script.

However, "Sex and Death 101" is too volatile to really be successful in any of the genres it touches. The story takes a thousand twists and turns. It's too cynical to be romantic, too shallow to be profound and too erratic to blow your mind. Characters are introduced and forgotten about in 10 minute-intervals and all of the main characters' friends just kind of disappear at the end, when Winona Ryder's character finally comes into the picture. Make no mistake, Ryder doesn't play a huge role in the whole movie. Her character seems awfully constructed and forced into the script. When the whole story is finally resolved it doesn't really make sense and leaves you totally uncertain of what the hell it was you just saw.

"Sex and Death 101" isn't the worst movie you could rent, but it's certainly pretty strange. I don't even know whom to recommend this to. Fans of Winona Ryder will not be happy with the little amount of screen time she gets. Friends of romcoms will find fault with both, the amount of rom and of com in this. To enjoy "Sex and Death 101" you probably just have to accept the fact that you don't know what you're gonna get. And, hey, that's kind of what the movie is about, too, I guess.

This movie makes very little sense. The whole thing is exceedingly bizarre. But somehow the movie kind of works. Simon Baker turns in a fine performance in the leading man role and it his charm which more than anything else enables the movie to be considered at least a mild success.

Baker plays successful executive Roderick Blank who is about to be married. And then something strange happens. He receives an anonymous e-mail which lists, in chronological order, the names of every woman he has ever slept with. Bizarre to be sure but not a crisis as long as his wife to be is the last name on the list. She's not. She's number 29. There are 101 names on the list. Roderick initially shrugs it off as some kind of practical joke being perpetrated by his friends. Then again how would his friends know the names, in order, of every woman he's ever slept with? When Roderick accidentally (yes, accidentally) has sex with woman number 30 on the list he realizes there's something going on here. Looks like that wedding's not going to happen after all. Apparently there's a higher power at work. What is that higher power you ask? Well you see there's this computer which apparently knows everything. And it occasionally spits out random pointless information...like lists of women that men will sleep with for example. This is all explained by the three men who work with the computer in a mysterious, futuristic-looking office. These men are named Alpha, Beta and Fred. Told you this movie was bizarre.

Anyhow it's pretty apparent where the sex in the movie's title comes from. Yes a multitude of women come and go as Roderick crosses off names on his list. But what about the death part? Well that's where Winona Ryder comes in. She plays Death Nell, a shadowy figure lurking mostly in the background of the movie, who goes around seducing men and then putting them into comas. But only men who deserve it you see, sexual deviants of some kind. Death Nell becomes a feminist hero, Roderick goes on sleeping with all these different women and hey, do you think perhaps these two characters might be destined to meet? Well I certainly hope so or else this whole thing is going to be rather pointless.

For a supposed comedy this movie isn't particularly funny. No real belly laughs to be had here, maybe a mild chuckle or two. It seems that Patton Oswalt, in playing Fred, is set up to be the designated funny guy but he's really not that funny at all. There are a few good moments here and there but there are a lot of times where the movie drags and there's nothing funny or even interesting going on. The plot perks up a bit when after sleeping with all these random women Roderick actually ends up in a quasi-serious relationship with a doctor played by Leslie Bibb. But that relationship comes with complications. And we know that this woman is not the last woman on the list so inevitably it's back to the parade of women in Roderick's life. There are times where it seems the movie is close to falling apart completely but Baker, who really has to carry things pretty much by himself, manages to hold it together and in the end it's a relatively enjoyable movie. Baker is excellent, Ryder does OK with minimal screen time and there's also room for another somewhat familiar face as playing Roderick's lesbian secretary Trixie is Mindy Cohn. Yes that would be Natalie of Facts of Life fame. You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have...a reasonably decent movie. That's Sex and Death 101.

Conceptually, the film actually doesn't hit its point until the final twenty minutes in which Baker finally confronts Ryder and accepts his fate. The final coffee shop scene and discussion conjures memories of Daniel Waters' impeccable dialogue and pace ever-present in 1989's "Heathers". Yes, this isn't "Heathers" and thankfully, it isn't "Hudson Hawk" either, however, "Sex & Death 101", unlike both of the aforementioned films, doesn't stay with you, for better or worse. Again, the final scenes are well worth the wait and highlight exactly why Winona Ryder is everybody's favourite outsider. Her ability to present warped innocence and make it seem endearing is wonderful to watch. The moment that we see Death Nell writing in her journal (a throwback to Veronica Sawyer in Heathers) really emphasises this...Ryder's representation of the madness of youth and sex and sadness, all connected in one bizarre character. So, as a film, "Sex & Death 101" isn't great, but as an example of good screen writing and character development (in the case of Death Nell), it is interesting to experience.

'Sex and Death 101' tries to be too many things. Looks like creator Daniel Waters couldn't make up his mind on what he wanted this to be. It tries to be philosophical but lacks depth. It tries to be a romantic comedy but lacks heart. It tries to be a black comedy but lacks wit. It tries to be mysterious but there are too many twists with no layer. It bounces from one genre to another without even taking the time to settle on anything. Perhaps, 'Sex and Death 101' may have looked better on paper which maybe why actors like Simon Baker, Winona Ryder and Julie Bowen agreed to be in it. Baker does a good job as he suits his role. Bowen does an adequate job. Ryder doesn't have much screen time as one might assume but she's alright. Leslie Bibb is brilliant as an aspiring writer whom Roderick falls for. Mindy Cohn is a scene stealer as Roderick's lesbian secretary and friend.

'Sex and Death 101' does have a few funny sequences that made me chuckle but other than that it's pretty much a halfbaked dish with parts of various ingredients, none of which have been adequately used.

It's another example of the critics not 'getting it'. This is a terrific movie, non-conventional, quirky, clever and funny. Go see it and enjoy yourselves. Be prepared to have fun, but's not for the faint of heart.

Simon Baker (The Devil Wears Prada) is wonderful. He will be a big star. Winona Ryder is a surprise. She is back. It seemed as if her career was on hold, but she's great in this film.

The language is unabashedly strong, the situations ditto, but the underlying message of the film is intelligent and 'right on'.

Go see this movie.