Film Review – I Want Your Sex (2026)

      **I Want Your Sex, 2026.**

      Written and Directed by Gregg Araki.

      Featuring 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 begins his job as Erika Tracy's sexual muse.

      As the curator of a sexuality-focused art gallery, Erika Tracy, portrayed by Olivia Wilde, introduces Elliot, played by the 12-year-younger Cooper Hoffman, to the kink lifestyle on his first day of work. The film is structured as a series of flashbacks interspersed with a present-day police interrogation by Johnny Knoxville that aims to uncover a mystery. Returning writer/director Gregg Araki's provocatively entertaining *I Want Your Sex* seems almost intentionally designed to create opportunities for Elliot to alleviate the potential discomfort of contemporary audiences and the sex-averse Generation Z by acknowledging that much of the behavior depicted is indeed troubling, especially from someone with power. However, he is also exploring some of his own secret fantasies and consenting to become a fully submissive partner to a sociopathic, narcissistic, sex-addicted dominatrix.

      The word "almost" is significant here, as this filmmaker likely isn't concerned about boundaries, but instead seeks to challenge a society that tends to intrude and dictate who can engage in sexual relationships and when, which is ultimately none of their concern. Elliot, who is depicted as a sex addict, struggles either due to a lack of intimacy with his book-focused and academically driven girlfriend Minerva (Charli XCX, who plays a character quite different from her public musician image) or due to his own inexperience and naivety, as he remains oblivious to her faking orgasms during their rare sexual encounters.

      Another character refers to Erika as “the pretentious whore from hell,” a sentiment that resonates (no judgment here). It would be an understatement to say that Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman give some of the most daring performances of their careers, showcasing boldness that is both provocative and audacious. Olivia Wilde has recently directed and starred in the single-setting dysfunctional marriage/sex comedy *The Invite*, where she portrays a similarly repressed character, not too far from Cooper Hoffman's role.

      Watching these two films provides a striking contrast, highlighting Olivia Wilde's diverse range as an actress, moving from an unhappy persona to a demanding and kinky sex goddess who often prioritizes pleasure, pushing Elliot to explore new experiences like pegging or introducing a girlfriend into their sexual dynamic. As for Cooper Hoffman, there's a sense that his father, Philip Seymour Hoffman, would take pride in his son's career choices that seem to prioritize artistic growth over fame.

      Much of the film's humor is crass and unrestrained, aware of Erika’s manipulative nature, while also hinting at Elliot's questionable sanity for returning to her. As their relationship deepens, it increasingly disrupts his life. The film shifts the focus from the characters to a broader commentary on sex, at one point introducing a European character with differing views on intimacy, only for Erika to dismiss those perspectives after her departure.

      It's essential to note that *I Want Your Sex* does not aim to convey profound insights; the cartoonish elements and several misleading endings suggest that while there may be observations about sexual psychology, the film is primarily about entertainment. Even as it becomes exhausting at times, the lengths to which Gregg Araki and his leads go to provoke an audience ensure that the film maintains its perverse and risqué energy without dulling. It humorously and effectively challenges contemporary viewers to be less uptight about sex in today's world.

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

      Robert Kojder