What’s the best way to avoid a shark attack?
Answer: Don’t go in the water.
What’s the best way to avoid having “questionable” pictures and videos of yourself on the internet?
Answer: Don’t take questionable pictures or videos of yourself.
Plot: What’s it about?
It’s amazing the number of ways the internet has changed our lives. For the better? Yes, I’d say so. Though we did manage to make it as a species for a few million years without WiFi, so I guess it could be debated that it’s not a necessity of everyday life. I suppose that I’ll address the elephant in the room and just come out and say it…yes, one of the main uses for the internet is all about sex. There, I said it. When I was a teen, seeing a naked woman meant viewing a movie on HBO or possibly getting my hands on a Playboy magazine. Now, well, it’s much easier for everyone (kids included) to access anything they want with the click of a mouse. And I’m not sure that’s a good thing. And, as the name of this film entails, with our portable devices being able to record anything at a moment’s notice, the rise of the “sex tape” has hit an all-time high. I won’t delve too deeply into anything personal, but if you read the quote preceding this review then you know my personal stance on such things. At any rate, maybe this film will have a different take on things.
Annie (Cameron Diaz) and Jay (Jason Segel) used to be deeply in love. They had sex everywhere whenever the mood hit them. Life was good. Then they got married and had kids. Sex all of the sudden took a backseat to the physical relations that a husband and wife share. What’s the problem? With their kids at the grandparents’ place, Annie and Jay try to make the most of a night alone. But something isn’t quite right. So, after a few shots of tequila, Jay fires up his new iPad and makes a movie. However Jay has a habit of giving his old iPad’s to his friends (and mailman) and with his vast music collection, his new app automatically syncs them all. The result? There are about 5 iPad’s out there with Jay and Annie having relations and they need to reclaim them. Now! Of course nothing’s ever easy and after a few stumbles, all seems well. Or is it? Will Jay and Annie’s sex tape end up on the internet or will they be able to correct their “wrongdoing” and get off (pardon the pun) scot free?
I hadn’t heard anything good about Sex Tape. Nothing. But I gave it a chance and I have to admit that there are some truly funny scenes in the film. The scene stealer is Rob Lowe who plays Hank Rosenbaum, a man who has a fetish about putting himself in classic Disney scenes (via paintings). The movie is raunchy, has some questionable scenes involving kids and let’s just say we see way too much of Jason Segel. Cameron Diaz has a few nude scenes as well but they’re all from the back (sorry guys). I will say that as much as I laughed, even at 94 minutes the movie felt a bit long. It’s not that it was poorly made or had a bad cast (Rob Corddry and Ellie Kemper offer some nice supporting roles), it’s just that the entire movie is based on one joke. Granted that can work, but not too often. If there’s a lesson to be learned, it’s this: be careful what you tape and take pictures of – no telling where it’ll end up.
Video: How’s it look?
I have to say that I think Sony takes perhaps the most care and time with their catalog and recent Blu-ray releases, so that’s why I was a bit surprised to see that Sex Tape looked good, but not great. I think the thing that really threw me was that this 1.85:1 AVC HD image was very inconsistent. Some scenes look razor sharp and feel as though you could reach out and touch the actors. Others seem to have a pretty inconsistent contrast with some movement in the shadows. It’s not blatant, you’ve got to look for it, but considering the track record that Sony has set – it’s a bit disappointing. Still, colors seem rich and vibrant, detail is excellent (not so much a good thing when seeing a nearly nude Jason Segel) and the image seems very smooth and film-like.
Audio: How’s it sound?
As is the case with most comedies, this DTS HD Master Audio mix has a few moments of glory, but overall it’s a basic mix that’s not too active. There are a few times when the surrounds kicked in, but by and large this front-heavy soundtrack is all about the on-screen gags. Vocals are crisp and clean lacking any distortion and the front speakers do offer up a nice mix. I’m kind of out of things to say regarding this, but it’s a standard mix that serves its purpose – no more or less.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Given the nature of the film, I was expecting an unrated version when it hit Blu-ray. I guess not.
DVD Extras
- Capturing the Moment – Director Jake Kasdan along with stars Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel sit down to discuss the theme of the film as well some of the raunchier scenes in it. Don’t get to invested as the segment is only six minutes long.
- Meet Hank Rosenbaum – Rob Lowe (in character) gives us a tour of some of the Disney-themed paintings in his house. I would have liked to see more sliced pineapple, personally. But Hank Rosenbaum is unquestionably the funniest character in the film.
Blu-ray Exclusives
- Deleted/Extended Scenes – Three total, which don’t really add much to the movie.
- Bloopers – I’m sure there were far more than these, but they’re included nonetheless.
- Line-O-Rama – I have trouble differentiating this from Bloopers or Outtakes, but we get some variants on a few key scenes.
- Romance Reboot with Dr. Jenn Berman – Dr. Berman, from VH1 (of course, because everyone has to be a TV and/or movie personality these days) discusses some of the parallels between sex and romance in the 21st century as well as some of the things that couples go through. I don’t know if this will actually help anyone, though I’m sure several folks can relate.
