The story is a throw away and mostly just provides a vehicle to revisit a period when fluro colours, leg warmers and big hair ruled the day. You can see the jokes coming from a mile away but most of the time you still can’t help yourself and laugh anyway.

The quality is elevated slightly by a cast with some actually acting ability and it’s to the film’s credit that the main players stay in character and don’t become superheroes but remain basically smucks with hearts of gold. This doesn’t however prevent the film from ending with a real bang and some of the set ups really pay off at the end.

Knowing what you’re getting going in to see this film really helps and fans of the low brow (of which I am one) will be rewarded by a number of funny set pieces and some clever if I knew then what I know now jokes. Regardless, it remains a case of if you throw enough at the wall, some of it will stick.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/20thCenturyStudiosAUNZ

Part one of the film makes for some very uncomfortable viewing as it’s far more cringe than comedy but part two is actually quite funny as the viewer buys into the ridiculous storyline. It’s one of those film only stories where the main protagonists continually do things that only people in movies would actually do.

Casting also cuts fifty/fifty as there are few cinematic experiences less appealing than seeing lead actor Jason Segel naked and not to be gender biased, lead actress Cameron Diaz also shows a bit more than is comfortable. The rest of the cast put in workman efforts and blend into the background without leaving much of a ripple.

The film also cuts down the middle while walking a line between showing that there is indeed life after having children and getting completely lost as a person when the routine of child rearing takes over. It’s not unlike the recent comedy Bad Neighbor in that respect.

When the dual nature of the film evens out, what we are left with is a comedy that takes a couple of reels to hit it stride and then delvers some genuine laughs. It also sufficiently and comically answers the question of how can a major Hollywood studio make a film called Sex Tape and have it be rated MA and not R18+ (or the American equivalent of R and NC-17).

Rob Hudson
www.sonypictures.com