Search - The Sex Monster on DVD

Started out sexy, ended up preachy

ginababy66 | New York, NY United States | 03/26/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I am always interested in movies that deal with "alternate life styles." I was not expecting this movie to be pornographic but rather, I was expecting and hoping it would be a witty view of bisexualism, something like "In and Out" which I found smart and witty. I laughed a great deal at the beginning of the film. The fact that the wife, played by Mariel Hemingway, is a very average kind of woman turned not only insatiable, but insatiable for members of the same sex, is quite amusing. And yes, I got a little turned on by a couple of the sexy scenes.Where the flick lost me was when her behavior becomes responsible for her husband's loss of business by behaving outrageously toward her lovers during an important luncheon. The scene is clownish, as if we are to understand that when a woman becomes bisexual, she turns into a "Sex Monster," (and the monster has to be controlled). Why do films about bisexuality and homosexuality always seem to grow into treatises? The messages of the film are clear: Don't "go bi" unless you want to: 1.)alienate your spouse, 2.) be thought of as a "freak." and 3.) ruin everyone's life by making a fool of yourself I realize that the movie is a comedy but when the melodrama kicks in, and the laughs of the script go out the window, it seems we're left with too many moral messages and just an overall bad taste in our mouths."

A wacky and entertaining sex farce

flickjunkie | 04/22/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This low budget sex farce surprised me and turned out to be a madcap and funny comedy. Laura (Mariel Hemingway) and Marty (Mike Binder) are a regular couple with an ordinary sex life. But Marty is obsessed with a fantasy where he and Laura have a threesome with another woman. He goads her semiseriously and when she finally shows some interest, he convinces her to invite over a girl from work who has been coming on to her.But Marty soon learns that you have to be careful what you wish for. After an initial reluctance, Laura gets into it and finds she likes it. We're talking SERIOUS liking here. Marty is initially ecstatic that his fantasy has been fulfilled, but now that he has opened Pandora's Box (so to speak), he is not prepared for the Sex Monster that emerges. Laura becomes a sex crazed Lesbian nymphomaniac and proceeds to seduce all their female friends. This leads to numerous awkward situations, some zany, some silly and some just downright hilarious.This film is just rollicking good fun. The sex is mostly implied, so if you were hoping to see Mariel Hemingway or anyone else naked, you are pretty much out of luck. There is a lot of moaning and bed shaking but nothing really provocative other than a couple of girl kissing scenes. But explicit sex isn't what this movie is about. It's about the comedy, and the comedy works, so it is just as well.This is really the Mike Binder show. He wrote, directed and starred in the film. He didn't really excel in any of these roles, but somehow the whole exceeded the sum of the parts. He gave a generally droll performance which was occasionally terrible but more often comical. He was at his best when he was being tormented by Laura's obsession as he tried desperately to get the sex genie back in the bottle.Mariel Hemingway was terrific in this film and made it truly funny. This is her second role with a bisexual theme having appeared in the heavy handed `Personal Best' where she was an athlete who alternated between sleeping with her male coach and a female teammate. Her performance in this part was far better and she turns out to be a much better comedian than dramatic actress. She has a great ability to make humorous use of her 6 foot frame and made the most of the many sight gags in the script.I rated this movie a 7/10. It doesn't redefine the genre, but it is a wacky sex farce that has more than its share of funny moments. If you are offended by profanity, sexual situations and lesbianism, you definitely want to skip it. But if you like a light hearted and offbeat roll in the hay flick, you'll probably enjoy it."

Interesting, in a bizarre sort of way

P.W. Reader | Mountain View, CA United States | 02/07/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If you're looking for a lot of naked shots of women and hard-core sex scenes, this is not your movie (the closest you'll get is one female topless shot in the pool, and its not of Mariel Hemingway, so forget that). Hemingway and Mike Binder both do a marvelous acting job as couples married too long. Binder, as the husband, portrays what every man thinks his fantasy is, bringing another woman into bed and getting his wife to actually like it. But then she likes it more and more, and soon feels neglected. Hemingway over-dramatizes a bit by becoming more sex-crazed and obsessed for women to the point where she ruins an important business BBQ gathering at their home, which I though was REALLY off line...no matter how attracted I was to anyone, I would at least wait until business concluded before coming on to someone...that I thought was kind of unrealistic. But the movie is all-in-all entertaining nonetheless, especially for anyone who has actually tried the threesome experience. Some of the problems that could arise from such a tryst are actually represented very well. Worth a rent, in my opinion....good to show to someone who is not hung up on the threesome idea."