Seen on: October 17, 2008
The players: Director: Sean Anders, Writers: John Morris, Sean Anders, Cast: Josh Zuckerman, Amanda Crew, Clark Duke, James Marsden, Charlie McDermott
Facts of interest: Based on the book "All the Way" by Andy Behrens.
The plot: A loser who's never had a girlfriend before drives to Knoxville, Tenn. to hook up with a babe he met online.
Our thoughts: Sean Anders’ comedy “Sex Drive” is not as embarrassingly stupid as several other recent flicks of the same genre, but its conventional story line and dull characters prevent it from finding the road out of mediocrity. The movie is entertaining, sure, but its lack of originality causes great damage to what could have been a refreshing ride.
Josh Zuckerman stars as Ian, an 18-year-old loser who embarks on an adventurous road trip to Knoxville, Tenn. to hook up with a babe he recently met online. Together with his best friends Lance (Clark Duke) and Felicia (Amanda Crew), Ian steals his brother’s precious 1969 GTO and kicks off a life-changing experience that will finally teach him how to become a real man.
As you may have already guessed, Ian and his friends run into all sorts of unexpected troubles along the way, most of which are not particularly engaging or memorable. Whether it’s an encounter with a sarcastic Amish traveler (Seth Green), a perilous episode involving an angry hick, or a brief trip to jail, they slip into a bunch of weird situations that eventually help them find what they are really looking for in life.
Although most of these segments are utterly vulgar and devoid of anything intelligent, “Sex Drive” turns out to be more entertaining than I originally expected. The humor lacks punch and most of the overused jokes fail to offer viewers anything they haven’t seen yet, but the plot’s decent pace surprisingly avoids boredom during the 109-minute running time.
Despite being raunchy and mostly brainless, the film stays away from disgusting slapstick or other repulsive scenes that can easily destroy a teen comedy with a similar story; an aspect I certainly applaud. What you see here is not particularly compelling or hilarious, but it’s often quite harmless and not all too offensive.
The cast is another reason why “Sex Drive” is rather easy to sit through. Zuckerman plays a convincing loser who never had a girlfriend and slowly discovers the courage to step up and quit behaving like a pussy. He’s not the most charismatic actor, but he handles his shallow lines quite well.
As Lance, Duke turns in an energetic performance as the best friend who knows how to seduce the ladies. Surprising also is Amanda Crew, who looks cute and shares a passable onscreen chemistry with Zuckerman. Supporting roles include an aggressive but funny James Marsden as Ian’s tough brother, as well as Seth Green as the friends’ Amish acquaintance.
Freaky quote: “Don't you watch Dateline, she's probably a guy." – James Marsden
The final word: “Sex Drive” is neither the cleverest nor the most enjoyable comedy I’ve seen so far this year, but it ranks with those that lack innovation and still manage to entertain on a decent level. If you’re reluctant to see any of the other releases this weekend, walk into this one with low expectations and you may end up being pleasantly surprised.
Article by Franck Tabouring