A diverse group of couples from different sexual orientations struggle and support each other through various issues, including violent hate crimes, HIV, conception, commitment, and love in 1990s Los Angeles.
Relax… It’s Just Sex (1998)
Director: P.J. Castellaneta
Writer: P.J. Castellaneta
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Language: English
Year: 1998
Duration: 110 min
Stars: Mitchell Anderson, Seymour Cassel, Eddie Garcia, Lori Petty, Jennifer Tilly, Susan Tyrrell, Serena Scott Thomas, Cynda Williams, Paul Winfield, Billy Wirth, Terrence ‘T.C.’ Carson
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A mixed group of individuals – lesbian, gays, and heterosexuals who all frequent a local bar struggle to accept each others lifestyles. However when the two gays are attacked and fight back and ultimately rape one of their attackers, the group becomes strongly divided on their actions. Jennifer Tilly is the mother hen of the group who tries to hold everyone together. The lesbian lovers break up when one admits to having an affair with a man.
rexfordavenue22 January 2015 – imdb
This is a mess of a film, but I can’t dismiss it completely.
Does it have an overly sweet tone that doesn’t match reality, but that’s nothing new.
I’m not a fan of the graphic sex scenes but they didn’t feel all that exploitative so whatever.
PROS: There are moments of true beauty here. The scene where they sit around the dinner table after one has announced that he’s HIV positive. The attitude may seem weird and frivolous to us as viewers, but we have to remember that immediately entering a maudlin attitude would not help anyone in this situation. They talk about medical theories, about life, and even gossip a bit.
The scenes with the lesbian couple talking out their issues was handled with care and respect, as well as the two gay men having the rather hilarious talk about what straight people consider ‘normal’. I overall enjoyed the ongoing grumpy narration that pointed out aspects of the gay community that irritate everyone who is not the biggest stereotype.
The climax was dark, powerful, and honest. It was a celebration of the hard truths of life and the love and strength we all need to get through them.
CONS: There is a graphic rape scene.
Why. Why is there a graphic rape scene.
Why do he have the main character – the narrator – chase down a violent frat boy and rape him in front of the entire cast? Why is he not called out on it? Why does this serve no purpose to the plot? What happened to the victim? Sure, the victim was a bastard and deserved a good punch in the mouth, but NO ONE DESERVES TO GET RAPED.
This scene ruins an otherwise alright film. I know that most of the discussions of the movie somehow leave out this scene altogether (what that says about the desensitization of rape in cinema I don’t know) but it was a struggle for me to finish the film afterwards.
