Sex Is Comedy (2002)

Anne Parillaud (La Femme Nikita) is fiery sultry and explosively funny as a movie director who ll do anything to get her shot.For director Jeanne (Parillaud) sex is no laughing matter. She doesn t find it funny that her two leading actors can t stand each other when she s about to shoot the most important moment in her film the sex scene. The actress objects to nudity the actor won t take off his socks and the only thing heating up between them is their tempers. At her wits end Jeanne tries everything in her power to seduce intimidate and sweet-talk her reluctant young lovers into performing the film s sexy final scene!System Requirements: Running Time 95 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: R UPC: 027616921567 Manufacturer No: 1008125 Product Description

For Breillat, Sex is Comedy and Comedy is Sexy.

Don't be fooled by the title. Although Sex is Comedy is not a light French romantic comedy, the film is frickin hilarious by director Catherine Breillat's dire standards. The 2002 film was inspired by Breillat's difficulty in filming a controversial sex scene in her 2001 film, Fat Girl, involving the seduction of a teenage girl (Roxane Mesquida) by an Italian law student. Sex becomes comedy when attempting to film an intimate sex scene between two actors who cannot stand each other. As lovers, there is no chemistry between them. He (Grégoire Colin) insists on wearing his socks because of his foot fetish, along with an enhanced plastic phallus because of his male ego and narcissism. She (Roxane Mesquida reprising her petulant role from Fat Girl) objects to the nude scene because it's not in her contract. While the director (Anne Parillaud) is at her wit's end, the crew filming the scene can't stop laughing at the temperamental actors. Breillat uses comedy in this film to expose the darker male/female fears relating to sexual intimacy. Here are three reasons to see this film:

1. For fans of Breillat's work, Sex is Comedy offers us a window into the way she works as a director.

2. Better known for her depictions of graphic sexuality and violence, this film proves that Breillat does indeed have a sense of humor.

3. This film is ultimately about finding the humor in the complex psychodramas we bring to sexual intimacy. That's exactly what makes Sex is Comedy so damn funny.

G. Merritt December 11, 2007

Not a comedy, just another masterpiece from the great Catherine....

Catherine Breillat is one of the greatest filmmakers working today. Her films are extraordinarily accurate in their depiction of the war between the sexes. Too often people are terrified of her work (both the public and the critics), because it's so truthful. This film is a companion piece to her masterpiece Fat Girl, in that it is a depiction of the making of the scene where the older sister ends up having sex with a local suitor. It is not a comedy, it is a Catherine Brelliat film. Many people rent this film thinking it's going to be fun. It's a great film, and it's not frivilous. If you admire Breillat (which you should), you should rent this. If you hate her, stay away, and it's your loss...

April 29, 2007

Would like to give this zero stars

Well, I don't know if sex is comedy, I admit it does seem a grand cosmic absurd idea at times, but making a film about filming sex is stupid. It was pretty boring most of the time. The only interesting character was the male lead actor. He was such a pompous, vain, childish pain to work with. I wonder how many male acting stars are like him? I'm guessing too many. And I doubt if women are any better. If it wasn't for him, the film would have been a complete disaster. I refuse to recommend this to anyone except to people that are into self-torture. It's that bad. August 9, 2006

THE MOVIE DESCRIPTION ON AMAZON'S PAGE IS FAR MORE INTERESTING THAN THIS MOVIE

Viewing this tenuous, torpid, tedious and talky film was like living one of those nightmares where one runs and runs and gets nowhere. Perhaps the dullest movie ever made supposedly involving sex.

Or maybe involving anything. Certainly the very least-engaging, unenjoyable movie I've ever seen. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. August 2, 2006

The Death of a Narrative in French Cinemas?

Intellectualization of a pornography in the name of love and sex and then wrap it up as a comedy. To me, this film is neither funny nor imaginative. March 26, 2006

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