…to mediocrity.

Released: 4th May 2009

It’s difficult to write much about a film that inspires so little, especially since we have been here before innumerate times. American Pie, Road Trip and Van Wilder all stuck to the same awkward outsiders seeking social validation (largely through sex) motif; even employing the same identikit stock of characters. Then Superbad broke the mould, with refreshing success and inspired a new wave of – you can see clearly in Josh Zuckerman’s performance an attempt to capture the awkward anti-cool charisma that Michael Cera brought to that movie.

Zuckerman isn’t a bad actor- he’s just the wrong type of actor if this film is anything to go by: trying to make waves in a market already saturated with his type. But then, maybe I’m being a tad harsh- his take on a young Dr Evil in Goldmember was a particular highlight of a pretty low production, and I have no real career substance upon which to make an informed judgement yet. I can only pray this isn’t the model upon which his career will rest. Sex Drive isn’t the worst film in the world- nor is it remotely close to being the best: it’s just a reworking of a film type that is all too painfully familiar, and until something comes along to usurp Superbad that particular sub-genre has been done to perfection.

The only thing Sex Drive really tries to add to the mix, is the attempted creation of a new star: Clark Duke. The thing is, I fail to understand what Duke’s appeal is (besides the old-school Cowboy movie star name). He looks sort of like someone’s drawn a face on a balloon, and shoved some Alan Carr style glasses on I, and his is a quirky look too far. I get the trend for rough-around-the-edge type fellas in Hollywood these days (led proudly by Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill) but there has to be a line drawn. Assuming that a chunky, less-than-gorgeous guy is going to immediately and effortlessly inspire the same kind of affection (even playing the turd of a character that Clark is lumbered with) is seriously underestimating the discerning tastes of the audience. And extreme potty mouth really isnt as funny as the writers think- the power of the word fuck (and indeed any other expletive/gutter speak) is down to the infrequency of its use, so making everything that one character says disgusting ends up grating.

Part of me found Seth Green’s involvement quite pleasing, but only because he remained toned down for once, and managed to recapture some of the humour that makes his affiliations with Family Guy and Robot Chicken so rewarding. He is funnier than I think he gives himself credit for in some of his performances- Rat Race springs to mind when he over-egged it a bit too much. But here he reigns it in, sticking to self-deprecating Amish-based humour and gentle sarcasm (though one incidence is undermined by a typically wooden showing by the boys of Fallout Boy) and comes off as the funniest character.

It’s all very familiar: the plot is well-versed, the romantic twist at the end is visible on the horizon from the first appearance of the female best friend figure and the characters are all bits and pieces of every other Noughties Virginity Movies. As refreshing as it was to see him in a radically different role, James Marsden obviously only said yes to this movie (with the even more obvious twist) when it was confirmed that Sean William Scott wasn’t available: if that wasn’t Stifler by another name then I have no faith left in truth.

Seriously, that’s it. I cant muster up anything else.

Extras

In the grand tradition of any recent film that features some vaguely gross-out or explicit scenes, the DVD comes with an Unrated version of the movie with the promise of more sauce and more smut, but to their credit Sean Anders and John Morris have created something more watchable than the usual offering of ten seconds more in tit shots and some more fucks for your dollar. The twenty minute longer Unrated version is meant as a bit of a poke at the culture of Unrated DVDs, even going as far as to include gratuitous topless shots for no apparent reason (as if tits need reasons). With the inclusion of deleted and alternative scenes as well, I might have been tempted to say it’s worth watching both versions, had the R-Rated original release offered a bit more.

Other than that you get your usual stock Commentaries (obnoxious and off-putting), a tongue in cheek pretentious behind the scenes mini-featurette, and an oddly funny home-video called Killing Time in Hollywood (Florida) which features an awesome Macho Man Randy Savage impression. There’s also a couple of frat-house humour featurettes poking fun at Clark Duke and James Marsden- not really sterling stuff, but a good effort to give the DVD buying community a little extra for their bucks.

Also available in Blu-Ray: shagging jokes in High Definition. Score!