The Opposite of Sex

Movie Name: The Opposite of Sex

Year of Release: 1998

Director: Don Roos

Stars: Christina Ricci, Martin Donovan, Lisa Kudrow, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Galecki, Ivan Sergei, Colin Ferguson, William Lee Scott, Dan Bucatinsky, Rodney Eastman

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis & Review:

"The Opposite of Sex" marked the directorial debut of screenwriter Don Roos, well known for writing Barbet Schroeder's "Single White Female", Jonathan Kaplan's "Love Field" and Herbert Ross' "Boys on the Side" amongst others. The film follows the story of sixteen year old Deedee Truitt, who runs away from home, pregnant by her boyfriend, and who ends up living with her older half brother Bill. While staying with Bill, she seduces his boyfriend Matt, and they elope, once she convinces him that she's pregnant with his child. Bill and his friend Lucia go on their trail, and eventually discover them.
Don Roos made a career for himself in the 80s writing for such tv shows such as "Hart to Hart" and "The Colbys", before moving on to features. "The Opposite of Sex" premiered in Sundance to much acclaim, and featured one of the first adult roles of Christina Ricci, who had steadily worked through her adolescence in films such as Brad Silberling's "Caspar" and Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm". The film also featured a great performance from the underrated Lisa Kudrow (then popular for the TV Show "Friends") and Hal Hartley's usual collaborator Martin Donovan. The film is a dark comedy superbly written, with much insight into relationships, slowly pealing away its acerbic wit and sarcasm to show a pulsing heart and mature view into relationships and sexuality. Don Roos successfully builds an interesting web of relationships, with situations that verge on overly dramatic (almost soap opera style), but yet he exacts restraint and allows for these characters to evolve and be more than just one dimensional cliches. It's a testament to the director and the cast, that the performances are all so interesting and different. A very good film worth watching.