'Sexdrive' depicts sexually awkward teenage years

Lovers of awkward, sex-infused teen movies won't be disappointed with the genre's newest addition.

By: Ben Johnson

Posted: 10/22/08

We've all been there. In fact, most of us are still very much there. It's that age at which hormones and the need for attention dictate our actions, rather than reason or logic.

Ian (Josh Zuckerman) is an awkward 18-year-old in "Sexdrive." Pegged early on as one of the "nice guys," Ian has been struggling to figure out exactly how to be the "bad boy" girls seem to find so attractive. Unfortunately for Ian, his relationships haven't developed at all, with the exception of his relationship with "Ms. Tasty," a girl he met online. Completely misrepresenting his true physical form, Ian's profile picture features a bulkier football player with Ian's face superimposed onto the image. It seems to have paid off when Ms. Tasty offers to go all the way with him if he drives to Knoxville to meet her. Loading into his older brother's (James Marsden) 1969 GTO Judge with his friends, Lance (Clark Duke) and Felicia (Amanda Crew), Ian sets off on a trek to leave the world of geekdom behind.

Teen sex comedies are often difficult to scrutinize under the lens of "cinematic criticism" because they require almost no
technical expertise or special effects. The plots are trite, rehashing cinematic devices that see new incarnations weekly. They feature one-dimensional characters and require no real acting ability. These films rarely require a large budget and possess the luxury of a built-in audience, thus guaranteeing a fair profit. Despite all this, they possess a quality that makes them bearable. Even after the 50 millionth time, they continue to prove that they can make people laugh. "Sexdrive" exemplifies these qualities.

The film is not anything particularly special, other than genuinely funny. The principal players are more caricature than character, which makes acting them out rather easy if done with hyperbole.

The heart of the story centers on Ian fumbling in the world to find a balance between who he is and who he would like to be. This offers the film an opportunity to indulge in some sentimentality, but in a sex-saturated teen flick it almost seems out of place.

The movie is filled with sexuality and nudity, in language and in action. This is the source of much of the film's comedy. Consequently, the film goes beyond the boundaries of simply being raunchy in the name of invoking a few laughs. But for those in the audience who enjoyed pieces like "Superbad" and "My Best Friend's Girl," "Sexdrive" is a truly humorous look at life through the eyes of an awkward 18-year-old.