AJFF Review: ‘Awkward Sexual Adventure’
BY JOHN MCCURDY / MANAGING EDITOR //
You certainly can’t accuse them of false-advertising this one. “My Awkward Sexual Adventure” is just that: awkward, sexual and – very much so – an adventure.
The answer to all of the above (given you belong to the targeted age 18 to 54 bracket) is yes. This film is, at its heart, a well-intentioned rom-com that sets itself apart in a couple of ways.
Plot-wise, nothing that you see here is new. Sad-sap accountant Jordan (Jonas Chernick) gets stood up by his girlfriend Rachel (Sarah Manninen) at the airport terminal as the two are supposed to leave for a romantic vacation to Niagara Falls. While the two are “on a break,” the former travels to Toronto, where he meets a perfect example of the stripper-with-a-heart-of-gold trope, Julia (Emily Hampshire), who sets in motion the process of self-discovery.
It’s in the individual performances of these actors, as well as their on-screen chemistry, that the film truly shines. Chernick is both completely believable and riotous in the role of pitiful loser (a part which, without his charm, might otherwise seem old-hat).
And the way he plays “Luke Skywalker” to Hampshire’s “Yoda” – a running joke throughout – is endearing and hilarious. Not to mention, Manninen is a terrific “evil ex,” and supporting man Vik Sahay (in the role of best-bud Dandak) deadpans his way to the viewer’s funnybone as well as any better-known comedian.
Younger and/or more sensitive moviegoers beware, though, as nearly every laugh comes with profanity, innuendo, explicit references or a combination of the three. It’s nothing we haven’t heard or seen in each and every of Judd Apatow’s works, but it’s still worth a reminder: While the AJFF is for everyone, “My Awkward Sexual Adventure” probably is not.
But for those who liked “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Knocked Up” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” prepare to laugh until you cry and walk out of the theatre with heart warmed.
Visit ajff.org for a full schedule of Atlanta Jewish Film Festival movies.
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