Sex Ed (2014)

This was a really awkward movie, but I liked it. I guess it's because it's a secular movie that strives away from the secular mentality. If that makes any sense. Sure some viewers might bash the heck out of this, pointing their fingers at how much of a loser the protagonist who is a sex ed teacher played by Haley Joel Osment is. But I was personally rooting for the underdog, because he is the few that had that sense of moral code that is actually quite rare now a days. We now live in a time where if you are a virgin you are labeled as a loser. But this movie tries to show that it's okay to wait for the right person. Even if it's done in a very awkward fashion. I am sure the viewers that were once a very very nice guy that wasn't getting any can relate to this movie to a degree (which is quite a lot). If that is your choice that is your choice. This movie didn't seem to have a clear cut message, but that was one of the points it was trying to make and I kinda respect that. Now I personally like Haley Joel Osment as an actor, he isn't the cute kid he was in his younger years but he knows how to utilize what he has now and I respect that as well. I personally watched this movie because of Haley Joel Osment and actually enjoyed it. It's not a hilarious in your face comedy but it was kind of endearing. Looking at the title and it being labeled as a comedy I thought it would be super crude it's actually not so much. And I liked how it didn't rely on a ton of crude stuff to get some laughs out of the audiences.

6.5/10

Fmovies: A good movie to watch if you just want to relax and enjoy some jokes, hear some dirty language from young kids. An easy to watch, not complicated comedy with very plain plot, but you can see that in 2014 sex is made to be a very open subject in society, even to young kids, that kind of is the goal of the movie, i feel. The black lady was absolutely hilarious, would really love to so more movies starring her. I found that Joel Osment was really a great actor to play the leading role of this movie, since he looks so inexperienced and clumsy from the get go, you really can feel the character and don't have to doubt if he is well suited for the role. The movie was short, no surprise, since it was a comedy, if you don't have anything to do and just want to enjoy an evening and chill, then it is a good watch.

I started out, thoroughly enjoying this movie. Admittedly, I was a bit bowled over by the movie being made in my hometown, and the novelty of not only recognizing all of the locations they filmed, but then actually seeing those locations get their time to shine as part of the plot (especially The Hub, which is one of the coolest dive-bars in town - not remotely as 'bright' as the film portrayed it, but still fun, nonetheless). So the movie started out great for me. I was amused by things like 'cock bagel' and basically everything involving Matt Walsh.

But then, everything just kinda fell flat, and it seemed like no one was paying any attention to details. Hector was a very one- dimensional antagonist, and while I now love, and want to see more of, Lorenza Izzo, her character was one of the worst developed in the film. The scene where Eddie goes to have dinner with Tito and his family, and his mother has Eddie rub spices into the pork, only to show, one scene later, that they're having fish? Was no one bothering to keep any sort of continuity in this film?

Overall, great acting in a bad story, but with a good underlying message. Poor direction, stilted dialogue, and amateur camera work makes this feel very much like a college film you make before you go off to Hollywood.

Sex Ed fmovies. "Sex Ed" is a humorous story that earns a lot of laughter, and as a plus, it advocates sexual education in schools and open communication on the subject. This element alone bumped up this comedy to a level that earns my respect.

The best aspect of the film is Haley Joel Osment's character. His performance is consistent and he's an easy protagonist to root for. He overturns expectations that would cheapen the film if fulfilled, and, in that way, the character remains honest. He is not only likable for being an awkward, virginal underdog, but for seeming more like an actual person rather than that trope. I'd also owe much of the film's humor to his performance.

The narrative was solid and I commend Isaac Feder for creating such a well-formed story in the comedic genre. I also enjoyed seeing some performances from those young actors who portrayed middle school students, especially Isaac White. Overall, a memorably likable and undeniably funny film.

Okay, so it's not very original, but the director clearly stole the premise of School of Rock which happens to be a favorite of mine since I am a guitar player of 28 years. The best way I can put this movie into perspective is that it is School of Rock with rock and roll replaced by sex education. The kids were great, Hayley Joel Osmant was great, the supporting adults were great, just a great movie. I gave it 7/10 but that's a really strong 7/10. I rarely write reviews...mainly because I suck at writing them, but this is a good movie and don't believe the naysayers. I was thoroughly entertained and it was also fascinating to see HJO in a role other than the "creepy-kid". Best movie ever?.....certainly not. Boring?.....certainly not. Give it a chance. I loved it and the bad reviews are just snobby know-it-alls.

Ed Cole (Haley Joel Osmont) is a former student teacher who falls on hard times and finds himself working at a bagel shop. He decides it's time to kick start his career and get back into teaching. However, Ed is unable to find a position teaching in his specialist subjects and reluctantly takes on the role of taking an after school class of detention kids. Ed quickly learns that the kids aren't currently learning Sex Ed and takes it upon himself to start teaching a course on Sex Ed much to the dismay of Reverend Marcus Hamilton (Chris Williams) who happens to be the strict father of one of the children in Ed's class.

My first thoughts when watching this film is that it kind of reminded me of Dangerous Minds (albeit a watered down and much less gritty version of the same film). I haven't seen Dangerous Minds for quite some time, but I don't recall feeling that it wasn't gearing itself to the wrong audience and ultimately that is what the biggest problem is with Sex Ed.

For a start it makes teaching kids lessons in Sex Ed the focus of most of its plot; explaining to kids what all the various body parts are, how to put condoms on, what all the 'scientific' words are called etc - this is all fine and I can see that to older children or young teenagers that this may be of interest and educational. The problem is that the filmmakers then slap a 15 certificate on it and with the exception of the classroom scenes the film is then filled with bawdy sexual scenes, violence, picking up prostitutes. Whilst I have nothing against these things in a mainstream film it did seem strange to give the majority of the film a sordid feel to it when it quite clearly has a rather wholesome message at heart. I'm really not sure why the filmmakers chose this approach when it probably would have been funnier if it would have been a clean comedy focusing on a sexually inexperienced teacher struggling to teach children about Sex Ed (at least that way it might have been a film that a family could perhaps sit down and watch together and would have at least appealed more to its intended target audience). The problem is that it doesn't play out like this and to be honest I thought that Ed got the kids onside a little too easily - I felt there were way more opportunities available to make the classrooms scenes funnier.

Another problem for me is that even when I looked beyond the fact that as a man in my 30's I clearly wasn't the target audience the film just isn't that funny and just seemed full of clichés. Haley Joel Osmont's character is a pathetic guy, but he's like this all the way through the film and to be honest it's mildly depressing.

In all honesty, Sex Ed's confusing tone is its biggest enemy; it's central story is about Sex Ed and the film does a reasonable job of raising awareness of the importance of using condoms and in highlighting the possible consequences of not taking precautions whilst having sex (which is great). It's too bad that this message seems to be overshadowed by clichéd sub plots, pointless violence, bawdiness, and a distinct lack of humour. I can see what was trying to be achieved here, but it's been handled really badly here.