Love & Sex

If you've been watching Jon Favreau's Dinner for Five on IFC, and enjoying it, as I have, you'll definitely enjoy this movie. Favreau is fun to watch, and this movie shows his strengths as an actor. Famke Jansen is a standout as Kate, the film's protagonist.

Looking through the External Reviews, linked on IMDB, it seems that many of the critics really disliked this movie, and I don't see why. It may not be Shakespeare, but why such a strong negative reaction to what is essentially a light, romantic comedy. Some even say there is no chemistry between Jansen and Favreau, and again, I just don't get it.

OK, so you've probably read the synopsis, 30ish single Kate is looking for love. 30ish Adam seems to be it. Then they break up. Then they try to move on. Then they drive each other crazy with jealousy. I won't go on to spoil the finish.

All that is pretty predictable, but the dialogue is well written. The actors are believable and connect with less of a sizzle than a warm melt. I enjoyed the build-up phase of the relationship that was the heart of the movie. The soundtrack songs were well chosen, and enhanced the film.

Overall, this movie is a nice time, and I'd probably watch it again.

"Sex and Love" is one of my favorite romantic comedies of recent vintage. It may in fact be may favorite.

It is from a decidedly 30 something, as opposed to 20 something, point of view. There is no question that that helps define its sub-genre, and its maturity.

I adore (and lust after) Framke Janssen, and deeply respect Jon Favreau. I was introduced to both by this movie. I have since gone looking for both in other films -- and have been rewarded in that quest.

This film does indeed dispense with the sex wars stereotypes of the moment and deal with two individual characters. At the same time, neither is the polar opposite of the sex stereotype (which might itself actually be a play off of the expected). Framke is a semi-promiscuous, very sexy but also "too tall", somewhat depressive and quirky woman. Favreau is not very good looking (which women, especially more intelligent and more experienced women tend to not care so much about), intense, highly intelligent, and if anything too oriented towards early commitment. At the same time he seems to have a very strong and experimental sex drive. All in all, he is in many ways what elite level late 90's women say (at any rate) they want the most in men.

But Jon develops a problem. Though he fights against it, he is in fact life experience jealous of Framke's 13 (as I remember) against his (rather amazing 3). (Both are very suppressed numbers, if you ask me.) He stays with women he sleeps with for six years. She hasn't had a relationship that lasted longer than six weeks, other than her high school French teacher (with a vanishingly small d**k). So one thing leads to another and they separate in a most friendly and civilized manner. Only to....

It is the detailed and very honest character development which makes this movie -- what it is all about. In fact it is a very "French" American romantic comedy -- set within a quintessentially American idiom.

I'd love to see many more like this.

If you are looking for a standard hollywood film with the standard hollywood jokes and the standard hollywood ending - Be prepared for a disappointment. If you are willing to put the stereotypical - boring - humour aside and open up for this entertaining, witty, insightful and brilliantly funny story - then this is the film for you.

Shot in only 21 days this is a masterpiece and definitely one of the funniest film's i have ever seen. Famke Janssen and Jon Favreau make a brilliant team and the onscreen chemistry between them makes the film seem ever more realistic.

Some of the jokes are worth repeating and talking about after watching this film - if you haven't seen it yet then go and get it and watch out for the french teacher, peaches and the little singer man.

If you have seen this film and still can't appreciate the brilliantness then maybe you'd have to wonder whether your humour is too spoiled by the overdrawn high budget hollywood stuff. But that's only my opinion.

"I like being depressed. It makes me feel deep and introspective."

Famke Janssen is a joy to behold in this insightful, underrated portrait of an alarmingly cynical woman. 'Love & Sex' takes a refreshingly frank look at the politics of sex between two individuals. Janssen, whom I had only beheld in all her beauty in a few "meh" action flicks, puts mountains of charm and introspection into this performance.

She plays Kate Welles, a jaded women's magazine columnist who finds trouble with her foulmouthed boss for writing an article with step-by-step instructions on oral sex ("When life sucks, so should you!") This pretty much sets the tone for the film, which contains no nudity but some explicit sexual dialogue.

I'm not presenting this as a negative whatsoever. It's almost inspiring, in fact, seeing a romantic comedy (no matter how IFC it is) that is so candid about such matters.

Roger Ebert, the best critic out there, gave the film a negative review, feeling that "In successful screen romance, there needs to be the sense that the partners are happy simply to be there with one another, that there is a physical yearning, and not simply the need to talk fast enough to stay ahead of the one-liners." I would agree, partially. 'Love & Sex' is not perfect, far from it. At times it can seem like a series of one-liners, but would you rather have a train of quick and biting one-liners for dialogue, or a wretched dredge through moronic cheeseball sentimentality? I prefer the former.

Overall, 'Love & Sex' is a shrewd and funny mix of Woody Allen and 'Sex and the City', and I would recommend it to open-minded moviegoers looking a quick and pleasing comedy with satisfying bite.

3/4

If you like intelligent, witty character-driven flicks, but aren't feeling up for anything too meaningful, you will probably enjoy this. The actors have great chemistry and the writing is often delightfully fresh.