Plot: What’s it about?
The Sex Monster is a story about getting what you wish for, too much, in fact. Marty Barnes (Mike Binder) has a fantasy that is common to most men, especially married ones. He wants to bring another woman into the bedroom, to liven things up a little, but of course, his wife is not eager to try such an endeavor. No matter how hard Marty tries to persuade her, Laura won’t give in. But one night, after some heavy drinking, Laura caves in, and Didi, a co worker of Laura’s, end up in the Barnes’ bedroom. And it’s not just for coversation, either. Of course, Marty is in heaven, he even calls up people to brag about the happenings in his bedroom. Soon after though, he notices that Laura is louder than usual, and the two women show no signs of slowing down, let alone stopping. This one night triggers something inside Laura, turning her into an insatiable “sex monster,” who wants more women to satisfy her urges. Each time Marty comes home, there’s a different woman in his bedroom making love to his wife. What started out as Marty’s fantasy has turned into a personal nightmare.
The Sex Monster is a very funny movie, and the premise is fantastic. The idea of a sexual fantasy like this going awry is funny in and of itself, but to watch it played out is even funnier. Now, to dispel all you flesh seekers, there is very little shown in terms of female bodies, so look elsewhere for that sort of entertainment, sorry. The sex here is implied, although the porno music we hear tells us what’s going on under the sheets. I seriously think some guys will think twice about the whole “let’s bring another girl into the bedroom” idea after seeing this movie. The way Marty handles it is funny as hell, starting off bragging, and by the end of things, he’s in the saddest states you can think of. I recommend a rental for comedy fans, and if you’ve seen the flick, the disc is a decent buy, if lacking extras.
The cast of this movie is quite good, better than I expected for a film not released theatrically. Mike Binder seems to the creative force behind the movie, as he serves as it’s writer, director, main male character. Binder (Indian Summer) is decent, but he really only shines during the depressed portion of his character. The initial scenes after the first threesome are also well done by Binder. Mariel Hemingway (Deconstructing Harry, Star 80) is excellent here, bringing some flair and energy to the role. Renee Humphrey (Mallrats, French Kiss) and Taylor Nichols (Boiler Room, Barcelona) turn in charming performances as well, adding some nice supporting characters. Two fairly big name actors also appear in The Sex Monster, Stephen Baldwin (Bio-Dome, The Usual Suspects) and Kevin Pollack (End of Days, House Arrest), both of whom give solid turns here.
Video: How does it look?
As this was not created with a wide theatrical release in mind, the image is full frame, which looks good. It appears as though the image is framed well, just an open matte of sorts, with no panning or scanning visible. The image looks good, with very little flecks or other signs of print wear able to be seen. Colors are excellent, with rich hues and colorful tones throughout. Flesh tones are natural as well, no distortion or tint issues. Black levels are deep and correct as well, with good shadow separation and no detail loss. The disc is also free of compression problems such as pixillation and edge enhancement.
Audio: How does it sound?
The disc uses a Dolby stereo surround track, and it is sufficient for the style of movie this is. The surrounds are not very active, but this is a comedy, I wouldn’t expect them to be. The dialogue, which is the crucial audio component here, comes through well. The words are crisp and clear, with no trouble whatsoever.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The disc features a trailer, and that’s it, folks.
