After Sex

This focuses around the lives of four women, all good friends, and their male companions. Each has a story, the men as well, everything links everybody to everybody and everything is being brought to a quick change after a trip the girls take to Palm Springs.

Basically, the film is no different from other of the genre, but I liked the details. Brooke Shields is a divorcée that fears loneliness, therefore she bangs just about everybody to get to have a "warm body" next to her in the morning, but then can't really commit. As a man, I find these women are a blessing :), but she is not a happy person. Everything else that happens revolves around this crazy woman, but in the end we get more clarity over life and relationships, which is good.

I can't tell if the acting was bad. It didn't seem to me. The script was a little inconsistent, but not more than any romantic comedy. It's a bit more depressing than most, which is good, because you don't get dreary romantic comedies every day :)

It's worth a watch with the missis, especially if you have cheated on her or plan to ...

Brooke Shields -- in a departure from her "Suddenly Susan" duties -- plays a bitter divorcee who embroils three girlfriends in a "girls only" weekend in Palm Springs. The problem: Brooke is "unattached" and on the prowl, while her friends are all involved. Hence the title implications and emotional backlash their "amoral" weekend causes.

Despite a few laughs generated by Dan Cortese ("Victoria's Closet") and MTV "relationship authorities" Adam Corolla and Dr. Drew Pinsky, this is somber stuff for women only. D.B. Sweeney, Virginia Madsen and Jon Polito co-star.

On Sunday, my friend, Patty, and I went to see the first viewing of "After Sex." Because it was being shown as part of the SXSW Film Festival here in Austin, our chances of getting in were risky because we hadn't bought $55 passes for the festival. We had been watching the schedules for weeks because we thought "The Weekend" would be showing. But, two weeks ago, "After Sex" showed up on the schedule with no warning or advertisement. Because it looked like they were quietly sneaking it in for feedback, we thought we'd take a chance. We arrived an hour early, and sure enough not many festival-goers knew it was playing- so they opened up the movie to general admission. We got in for $4! By the time the movie started, though, it was a full house.

So, how was it? Not what I expected, which is a good thing. The movie is a fast-paced comedy about a group of friends: two married couples, one engaged couple, and a divorced woman. The film explores the relationships between men and women through these friends. The script is very fast-paced, and the camera angles are quirky. The soundtrack is excellent, and we found ourselves wanting to buy it as soon as the movie was over. Was it perfect? No. When the movie stuck to comedy, it was very good, sometimes hysterically funny. But, when it delved into the serious side of relationships, it was uneven. Not because of the writing, but because of the acting. All of the actors had great comedic timing, but a couple of them just didn't have the range to play "serious." (Notably, Brooke Shields and Dan Cortese) But, thankfully, their crying jags were brief and didn't detract from the movie too much.

And what about D.B. Sweeney? Terrific! He plays a husband opposite Virginia Madsen, and the two show the best acting of the movie. His character is this sweet lug who reads self-help books to make sure his marriage stays strong and, God bless him, he has no idea what to do with the information! He has some of the funniest lines in the movie, and honestly, I missed some of them because the audience was laughing so hard. When this movie comes out, be sure and catch the first scene with him and Virginia Madsen. I call it the watch scene, and maybe it was so funny because I'm married, but I was laughing about it even after the movie ended. These two also did a great job when the mood got heavier. The last scene with them is beautifully done, and it doesn't dawn on you until later that the two never speak a word.

I think the movie will be a sleeper. The audience gave it a round of applause, and I'd love to see it again when it's released. There have been so few movies lately that are just enjoyable and fun to watch, but this is definitely one of them.

I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It's actually quite interesting and engaging. The cast is strong, even Dan Cortese. Brooke Shields has come into her own as an actress. Black and White must have really set her free, 'cause I have never seen her in this much command playing a conventional character. If marketed right, could be a medium-size hit.

Being a D.B. Sweeney fan, I've been on the lookout for this movie for quite some time. I recently rented the video and found it very enjoyable. It had some really hilarious scenes. The dysfunctional lives of some of the characters was unsettling, but I think the movie also showed that it's possible to keep your life on track or get it back on track if it's been derailed.