From Daniel Waters, the writer of the cult classic Heathers, comes the new dark comedy Sex and Death 101. The film follows newly engaged Roderick Blank, who struggles with fate when a mysterious source sends him a list containing the names of all the women that he will sleep with throughout his life. Simon Baker and Winona Ryder lead the cast, and both give strong performances. The film has a lot of fun with sexual clichés and stereotypes as Blank goes through the list. And, it explores the struggle between free will and fate in an interesting and satirical way. Still, while some of the satire works, a lot of it is a few degrees off and has some problems with presentation. Sex and Death 101 delivers a few laughs and is fairly entertaining, but it has its share of troubles as well.
Review by wolfkinBlockedParent2020-12-28T06:54:42Z
In spite of a protagonist who is not that likable played by an actor who is good looking and charming enough that you forget it every once in a while, Sex and Death 101 manages to really come together in the end. Unfortunately it's mostly the end. As promised by the main character Mr. Blank we do get a satisfactory end. Winona Ryder's Death Nell is a compelling character who deserved more screentime as she ends up actually more likable than our Mr Blank. She has purpose and motive and gravias. Blank as a character is as his name. He's not really a person. He's a slave to the list unenthusiastically hunting down names to mate with and even when he's trying for love only cares about sex. It's a role and character that just wouldn't work in anyone with any less charisma than Simon Baker.
Thus noted even Baker's grin can only carry the movie so far. Ryder's Death Nell might have brought a lot more dynamism if she had a bigger part but for most of the film she's mostly a background character. The final act though is worth not stopping half way through the movie for. It might not be worth hitting play but it's certainly worth not hitting stop.