The article “How to Have Sex” is a promising writing-directing debut from Molly Manning Walker. Set in Greece, the movie offers a startlingly intimate portrait of teenage girls in search of the ultimate summer holiday experience. However, the title “How to Have Sex” is something of a misdirection, as the film serves as a tutorial in how not to have sex, particularly when feeling young, inebriated, pressured, or vulnerable to manipulation.
The main character, Tara, epitomizes these vulnerabilities. She and her friends arrive in Crete with the intention of indulging in competitive drinking and sexual exploits, only to find themselves in a world of girlish excitement that borders on the terrifying. Tara, the smaller and baby-faced member of the group, surprises everyone with her brassiness and smooth-talking skills, securing a room with a view of the hotel’s penis-shaped pool right off the bat.
However, Tara’s bravado hides the fact that she is a virgin, and her main goal for the trip is to change that. The movie, directed by Molly Manning Walker, places viewers in Tara’s journey through nightclubs, beaches, and hotel patios with an immersive and immediate experience. The encounters with a fellow tourist named Paddy expose Tara to less than noble intentions, adding to the raw and often frightening candor of the film.
The movie evokes the feelings of compassion for Tara’s character while highlighting the deep misgivings associated with teenage exploits of sex and parties. The direction and performances in “How to Have Sex” are spontaneous and naturalistic, giving the film the feel of a slice-of-life documentary. While not necessarily a fully realized story, the film is extraordinarily vivid as a chapter in the characters’ lives.
Overall, “How to Have Sex” presents a hedonistic journey that comes with too much wreckage and desolation for a happy ending. However, Tara’s resilience and the presence of her waiting mother in England imbue the film with not just heart, but a teardrop’s worth of hope.
Unrated and running for 90 minutes, the film contains suggestive sexuality, profanity, smoking, and drug use. It’s a gripping and emotionally charged story of teenage adventure and vulnerability that raises thought-provoking questions about the blurred lines of consent and sexuality. 3 stars out of 5.
Read More Entertainment-news/” target=”_blank”>Entertainment News
