Film Review – I Want Your Sex (2026)

      I Want Your Sex, 2026.

      Written and Directed by Gregg Araki.

      Starring Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Daveed Diggs, Charli xcx, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho, Roxane Mesquida, George Todd McLachlan, and James Duval.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Elliot secures a position as Erika Tracy's sexual muse. Olivia Wilde’s Erika Tracy, the curator of a sexuality-focused art gallery, begins to immerse the 12-years-younger Cooper Hoffman’s Elliot into the kink lifestyle on his very first day. The film is structured around a series of flashback scenes interspersed with a present-day police interrogation (conducted by Johnny Knoxville), aiming to uncover a mystery. Returning writer/director Gregg Araki’s provocatively entertaining I Want Your Sex suggests that the format is intentionally designed to provide moments where Elliot can address the inevitable moral concerns of modern audiences and the prudishness of Generation Z. He repeatedly acknowledges that much of the depicted behavior is reprehensible for someone in a position of authority, while also expressing that he is living out his own fantasies, thereby consenting to becoming a devoted submissive to a sociopathic, narcissistic, sex-driven dominatrix.

      The term “almost” is crucial here, as the filmmaker likely disregards such concerns and appears intent on challenging a society that overly dictates personal choices regarding sexuality. Elliot is also a sex addict, unable to connect with his bookish, academically-focused girlfriend Minerva (Charli xcx, portraying a role that starkly contrasts her usual musician image), or too inexperienced and naïve to realize she is faking orgasms during their rare sexual encounters (which, in this context, is merely her acquiescing for the night).

      Another character labels Erika “the pretentious whore from hell,” a remark that seems to resonate without shame. To describe the performances of Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman as bold would be an understatement, given the daring nature of their portrayals. On the first night of the 2026 Chicago Critics Film Festival, Olivia Wilde’s single-setting dysfunctional marriage/sex comedy The Invite was featured, showcasing a more repressed side that isn’t far from the character Cooper Hoffman plays here.

      Watching these two films together highlights Olivia Wilde’s striking versatility as an actress, transitioning from a discontented, unsatisfied individual to a demanding, decadent sex goddess who often prioritizes her pleasure over her work. She persistently urges Elliot to explore new sexual experiences like pegging or inviting a girlfriend for a threesome. Cooper Hoffman seems to carry on a legacy that would make his father, Philip Seymour Hoffman, proud, taking on roles that hint at a gradual rise to significant stature without chasing stardom.

      Much of the film is played for comedic effect, sometimes unapologetically vulgar, and fully acknowledges Erika's manipulative nature while also suggesting that Elliot might be somewhat deranged for returning to her repeatedly. Whenever things escalate, their relationship begins to unravel his life. Furthermore, the focus shifts from the characters to a commentary on sexuality itself, introducing a European character with different beliefs about intimacy, only for Erika to belittle those values once the character departs.

      That being said, I Want Your Sex doesn’t aim for profound insights. The inclusion of whimsical elements and several misleading endings indicates that while there may be some psychological observations to glean, the primary intent is to entertain. Even as it risks becoming overwhelming, the lengths to which Gregg Araki and the lead actors go to provoke the audience ensure that the film maintains its provocative, playful energy without losing momentum. It’s hilarious and effectively encourages audiences to ease their sexual reservations in contemporary society.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Robert Kojder