Sex caper proves to be a turn-off
Not to worry readers, this isn’t a review of Paris Hilton, Tulisa or Lauren Goodger’s latest “home movie” but the new comedy from Bad Teacher and Orange County director Jake Kasdan.
Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel star as married couple Annie and Jay, whose attempts to spice up their sex lives end in disaster when copies of a video of their bedroom antics are accidentally sent to their friends and family.
Segel co-wrote the script with long-term collaborator Nicholas Stoller (The Muppets, The Five-Year Engagement) and Kate Angelo (The Back-up Plan).
Diaz and Segel re-team with Kasdan but the best thing that can be said for this fast-paced but instantly forgettable comedy is that its a slight improvement on their shudderingly poor Bad Teacher link-up.
The script crams in Judd Apatow-style coarse language but annoying bickering abounds and there’s a mean spirit to most of the humour – cursing at kids, animal cruelty.
Sex Tape never lives up to its promising opening where Annie and Jay attempt to stop children and marriage from neutering their sex life and a genuinely funny sequence with the pair trying to make love in different locations (narration, shoe lace struggles).
Sure, there’s the odd good line (“You did the full Lincoln?”) and a standout appearance from a slightly odd-looking, Disney-obssessed Rob Lowe (Hank).
But other laughs are few and far between as events get bogged down in bizarre, unrealistic scenarios and an overabundance of nastiness.
After a good start in comedy (There’s Something About Mary, My Best Friend’s Wedding), Diaz has appeared in her fair share of clunkers in recent years (Gambit, Knight and Day) and, while she gives it her best shot here, Annie never comes across as a very likeable character.
Segel has shared sweet chemistry with recent big screen love interests Emily Blunt and Mila Kunis but can’t repeat the feat this time around.
And given how frequently it’s starting to appear on screen, I’m assuming his backside now demands a salary.
Rob Corddry (Robby) and Ellie Kemper (Tess) aren’t given much to work with as Annie and Jay’s friends, which is a shame because you can’t help but feel a film focused on that couple would’ve made for a better watch.
A surprise cameo from a comedy favourite falls flat and the constant product placement nearly succeeds in beating the audience into submission — seriously, Apple must be receiving a share of the film’s profits.
The weaknesses are a real shame as there’s a better, funnier flick scratching and clawing to break its way out of the mediocrity.
As it is, this is one Sex Tape curious minds will want to give a miss, and a comedy you’ll instantly delete from your memory banks.