Young People Fucking (2007) Reviews

• Notes from 2007 TIFF

  riid2007-09-08

  I saw this film at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. The first feature film from director/co-writer Martin Gero and actor/co-writer Aaron Abrams, Young People F--- (censored since IMDb won't let me put the actual word in) is exactly as the title implies, with five completely unrelated story lines about people having sex. There is the ex-boyfriend and girlfriend, reuniting for an evening out just as friends; the best friends who see each other as a convenient way to relieve their pent up lust without having to turn to some random, poorly chosen pickup; the couple, whose love life in the bedroom has lost its spark; the first date, with a player trying to get lucky with a woman he just met; and the roommates, one of who tries to draw the other into a threesome with his girlfriend. The characters run the gamut of emotions; some are insecure, some are over-confident; some have baggage in their relationship, some want to be intimate, and others just want to screw. Intercut amongst one another, each story proceeds from a prelude through to foreplay, to the act itself, to an interlude, and finally down to the climax and its denouement. In the end, the stories are full of both beginnings and endings for all of the characters. The film definitely lives up to its title, but in a humorous, warm, and personal way. While there's stuff there that might make your grandmother blush, don't go in thinking you're going to get some sort of hard-core film or some generic teen sex comedy. It was easy to warm up to the characters and get a sense of their history and who they are without a lot of obvious exposition. The actors were good across the board, although Josh Dean's character was a bit too nerdly earnest for my taste. While you may not leave with any great, deep universal truths answered, the film got a lot of laughs and was enjoyable throughout, and hopefully it won't suffer for its title once it gets released.

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• A hilariously sweet and touching must-see film

  DonFishies2008-06-28

  Going into a movie called Young People F**king, there is not much one can expect outside of what the title is selling. Yeah, the trailers made the film look funny, and pronounced the critical acclaim for it, but unfortunately, its brash title's suggestion is the only reason people will either run to see the movie, or avoid the film like the plague. And for such a great little film, that is truly a shame. The film follows four very different couples (and one three-person group) through the course of one night in their sex lives. It picks up right at the beginning introducing the couples (from one that is actually labelled as "The Couple" to another labelled as "The Friends"), and the circumstances that brought them to the inevitable sex, and then progressively goes through the various steps these groups go through from the pre-sex, to the after-sex (cutting back and forth between the groups in-between each of the six intervals). What is most interesting about this film is how many different ways it covers sex. No one couple in this film is the same, and through the film's clever use of cutting back and forth between them, the audience can genuinely say that they have sat through something truly unique. In North America, sex is always looked down upon as being totally taboo, and a healthy dose of action is what audiences end up getting fed instead. When certain films show up on the radar, like the blazingly unrivalled, albeit, nearly pornographic Shortbus two years ago, they are met with controversy and are almost automatically put down for their depiction of something so inherent to human life that we would cease to exist without it. Young People F**king is not as graphic or raw as Shortbus, but it would be much in the same category in what it is trying to accomplish. Young People F**king succeeds in being a great film because it stays within reality. Yes, there are certain things said and done that some may not find to be normal, but for the most part, the film plays on sexual stereotypes and sexual themes that everyone knows and can find solace in. The small cast of characters on-screen are real, and are dealing with real issues. There is little to no fantasy being explored here. These are characters that have had their emotions stomped on, who have genuinely real problems that just about anyone in the audience can relate to. The filmmakers know the universality of their subject, and they know that comparisons are going to be made. What they might not have realized in their developing of the stories and characters, was just how affecting it would be. What also makes the film a success is how funny it is. It never once tries to go over-the-top (minus one particularly vulgar piece of dialogue that the trailer cleverly teases at), and for the most part, stays grounded in the reality of how one would imagine these couples would interact. The film knows its audience, and it stays true to its characters. For every hilarious nugget of dialogue, there is another that is funny only because of how honest and truthful it is, and another that is truly moving. The film does not skimp on trying to make itself out to be something it is not. It wants to be frank, and it does not even try to steer around the topic of sex. And in that respect, the film delivers in spades (and real comedy unlike some of the forced sex comedies we are used to seeing). Singling out one couple or one character in the film would giving the film its proper due. Every single one of the eleven actors involved in the film make this film what it is. No they are not perfect in their acting styles, but then, neither are these characters. They pour their hearts into making the film believable, real and mature. They all work well off their partner (as none of the groups interact with any of the others), and you can see the honest and sincere emotions in their facial and body expressions (since there are many moments where dialogue is not expressed as much as facial emotion). Yes, some of the situations these characters encounter may seem ridiculous, but the cast rolls with them, and makes them feel just as normal as any other. If the film suffers from any imperfections at all, it is in that it feels boring at times. Its quick and blazing fast opening suggests that it will not dwell, but in exploring its characters, it unfortunately falls into some fairly exhausting and dull moments that have trouble picking back up. And it is the same problem with every couple featured in the film, in that they just cannot keep up with the pace the film wants to have. I appreciated the deep explorations these characters got, but I think there could have been an easier and faster way to get to some of them. It feels like the filmmakers know how they want to approach these couples, and know how they want to explore their uncertainties and real world emotions, but they just miss the mark in a few instances. It is not a widespread plague that ruins the whole movie; it just halts it from getting from one place to the next in specific instances. For what the film promises in its title, Young People F**king does an excellent job of making itself out to be a comedy, but out to be a drama all the same. It is funny, sweet, vulgar, and touching all at once. It is an excellent must-see film, if only because of how it treats its subject. It suffers only because of some boring instances, but then, so too does life itself. 8/10.

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• Enjoyable

  IndyMansOldAccount2008-07-22

  This film isn't the standard comedy about average teens to young adults trying to get off, this is about young adults that have the same sort of mishaps and adventures exploring the different types of sex, yes believe it or not there are different types; whether it be about being in love, to a one night stand, two friends helping each-other out or just two ex-partners filling in. Be it a rough topic to display on screen seen it's pretty full of sex at every angle, which is besides the point, the point is that it's about the deeper meaning, what do we discover about each-other in bed, what was there before and what's there now. The writing is spot on, the scenes aren't as you'd expect, the characters question themselves and their abilities in or out of the sack. An odd experience on screen, but a funny one. Verdict: 90 minutes of sex on screen, could the internet provide better? Doubtful. This is sexual comedy at it's best, thinking that makes it a new genre of film-making to consider. 7.5/10.

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• loved this movie

  guybennett-12007-10-09

  Straight up - I adored this movie. It's a razor sharp sex comedy that is extremely funny and has a soul. Structually it does something that you rarely see attempted in an ensemble film. The five individual strands do not interconnect. This is generally considered to be a recipe for disaster. If they don't interconnect - what stops it being five short films inter-cut? In this case - the theme (love) and narrative (negotiations about sex) replace the need for colliding narratives. And it works! The film is a cohesive whole. You don't have to waste screen time setting up clunky "small world" co-incidences (car crashes being the flavor of the month). The other thing that jolted me is that the entire cast is brilliant. There is no weak link. Disclaimer: I do have a family member in the cast - but trust me this is not the cause of my affection. I simply fell in love with the film. All the performances are subtle and leave lots of things for you to discover. Smart, funny, warmhearted. A real gem!

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• Pretty decent relational comedy

  siderite2008-10-22

  It is a movie about sex, but without much of it. It is not pornographic or offensive, but funny and (to many adults) pretty close to home. The basic plot is about a few couples that have sex and the emotions involved: the exes, the couple, the roommates, the friends, etc. I can tell you my wife enjoyed it and got in the mood in the same time, so you could definitely try it together with the SO. The film is not a parody. No cheap laughs and stupid jokes, only fun from things that could be real. Bottom line: a good romantic comedy that is not overly romantic and has a plot! How cool is that? Also Carly Pope, Diora Baird and Kristin Booth look delicious.

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