By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

The End of Sex (Dir: Sean Garrity. Canada, 2022): Sex farces are a complicated affair. Unless the movie is extremely funny (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), daring (Y tú Mamá También), or has something interesting to say (The Graduate), odds are stacked against it.

The End of Sex has nothing going for it. It’s juvenile (it acts as if threesomes and sex clubs are inherently funny), but not particularly amusing. There’s pathos, but the movie doesn’t dare to explore it. It pretends to know about marriage, but it doesn’t come close to depict recognizable adult dynamics. It’s the kind of film a teenage boy would come up with.

Emma (Emily Hampshire) and Josh (Jonas Chernick), the couple at the center of The End of Sex, are content with their lot in life, although they’re aware something is lacking in the bedroom. Their daughters’ trip to camp gives them the chance to confirm it: the spark is gone.

Instead of talking about it, manage expectations, or consider counselling, they take the “spice up your marriage” route. Instead of reviving their sex lives, their hare-brained schemes cause further damage.

Directed by Sean Garrity (After the Ball) and written by Chernick, The End of Sex goes for the lowest hanging fruit every time. The movie doesn’t have characters but stereotypes and the moment it touches on something real, it sacrifices it for a comedy bit. The film is cohesive enough to be watchable, but if you’re looking for insight, try somewhere else. 1 ½ stars (out of five).

The End of Sex is now playing across Canada.