TIFF 2007

TIFF Review: Young People Fucking

by Alex Billington
September 11, 2007

• US Release Date: Toronto Film Festival 2007 - TBA
• Genre: Comedy
• Running Time: 90 minutes
• Directed by: Martin Gero
• on IMDb
•    9/10

Young People Fucking is the first feature film from two young filmmakers from Canada – director Martin Gero and writer Aaron Abrams. It's a delightful (undoubtedly) exploration into the comedy of sex through five different relationships: the couple, the exes, the roommates, the friends, and the first date. It goes through the progression prior, during, and after sex in each, with occurrences that wouldn't be funny in-person but certainly are on-screen. The result is a genuinely laugh-out-loud funny film that hits perfectly on so many notes, whether you've personally experienced one of the situations or not. Each one is as quirky and odd as the last, with two characters (or in one case a third) delivering spot-on performances.

The film presents a much more tasteful look at sex than its rather poignant title makes it seem. In comparison, Ang Lee's Lust, Caution has much more graphic sex scenes that warrant an NC-17 rating than Young People Fucking does – making this much more accessible and one you'll hopefully see in theaters along with your date or your closest friends. While it isn't as well-crafted as a Judd Apatow comedy, it delivers with at least the same amount of humor – certainly rare for a first time feature film.

Just a brief glimpse at a scene from "the couple" in the hilarious Young People Fucking.

Much of this film's success is due in part to Aaron Abrams's great script and the good-to-great performances of most of the young actors (one of which is also Abrams himself). It's a smart film that almost anyone who's adult enough to maturely laugh at sex will enjoy. It's fast, it's possibly embarrassing, and above all it's fully entertaining - a rare comedic gem I was delighted to have found.

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