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The End of Sex review Pat Byrne

The End of Sex –

Written by Jonas Chernick and directed by Sean Garrity,

Emma (Emily Hampshire) and Josh’s (Jonas Chernick) are determined to seize the opportunity to have wild, doors wide open sex, while their two children spend a week at camp.  Their first attempt results in faked orgasms by both. The couple have been together as teenagers apart from a brief spell apart sowing wild oats, so they are very close. They are proud of their ten year marriage, being good parents and unlike, old friends they run into in an awkward scene in the supermarket, they work things out together and don’t yell at each other. 

Their decision to set off on a mission to relight the fire in their sex lives results in a serious of new experiences, including: a threesome, joining and visiting a sex club for swingers – where they encounter some very familiar faces; there are new flirtations, sexual fantasy, hooking up with old flames, getting much closer to workmates and trying MDMA. There’s a lot of humour along the way, however, the couples’ anxiety and frustration grows throughout the week – marked by the daily destruction of garden gnomes denoting the days of the week. 

Emma (Emily Hampshire) and Josh’s (Jonas Chernick) are perfect as the couple. The dialogue is superb and the expressions shared between the pair perfectly capture the harmony they share. Complexity and interest is added to by an entertaining cast of characters: Marlon, (Gray Powell) Emma’s old friend, whose unfiltered flirtatious remarks both amuse and excite her.  Then there is Wendy, Emma’s co-worker and friend played by Melanie Scrofano, a bi-sexual with a crush on Emma. Wendy is more than willing to lend her skills to the plan to spice up the couple’s sex life, albeit she has her own agenda. Then Josh too has a friend at work, the hip, young Kelly (Lily Gao) has plenty of advice to offer as well as opportunity for sexual adventure.

It’s a lively and unusual rom-com, where the pair are already established in a loving partnership. The relationship between Emma and Josh will no doubt be relatable to many. The pairs’ agreed bid to experience more exciting sex serves to highlight their shared intimacy and the trust they have in each other to embark on such a hazardous mission. 

I laughed out loud, particularly at their visit to the sex club, and I most thoroughly enjoyed the ending. A well crafted unusual rom com.

Pat Byrne, March 2023
Glasgow Film Festival 2023

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