A GOOD OLD FASHIONED ORGY (2011)

Genre: Comedy
Director: Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck  
Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Bibb, Lake Bell, Michelle Borth, Nick Kroll, Tyler Labine, Angela Sarafyan, Lindsay Sloane, Will Forte, Lucy Punch
RunTime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Content)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/agoodoldfashionedorgy/

Opening Day: 12 September 2013

Synopsis: Jason Sudeikis is Eric, a thirty-something party animal famous among his close circle of friends for his lavish summer theme parties at his father's swanky Hamptons pad. But when members of the crew start settling down, and Eric's dad announces plans to sell the beach house, Eric decides it's time for one last bash to go out with a proverbial bang—a good old-fashioned orgy. The only obstacles to overcome are actually convincing each of his reluctant friends to join in on the bacchanal, and an inconveniently blossoming romance with the real estate agent threatening to sell the house out from under him before the main event can even take place.

Movie Review:

Let’s be frank - exactly what did you expect out of a movie with a title like ‘A Good Old Fashioned Orgy’? Were you hoping for some vigorous multiple-partner action? Or some ‘Hangover’-type shenanigans? Well, if it was either or both, you’ll probably be quite disappointed - on the former, we might as well let you know that the sex romps are actually pretty meek, and because the persons involved are close friends, tend to be interrupted by frank conversations about the awkwardness of their situation; and on the latter, well let’s say there just isn’t much of that to begin with.

But of course, this isn’t some porno movie - otherwise it won’t even get past our censors - so here’s what this comedy with the tantalising title is all about. Basically, you have a thirty something guy named Eric (played by Jason Sudeikis of ‘Hall Pass’ and the most recent ‘We’re the Millers’) who wants to organise something big for a final Labour Day weekend holiday with his best pals - both male and female - and eventually settles on the idea of having an orgy. Ok, we’ll admit it’s not the most logical move; nonetheless, the best explanation the movie gives for this is how Eric just wants to do something they would have done in their teenage years.

So anyways, the trigger for this is Eric’s father's announcement that he intends to sell the beach house his son has been holding their wild drunken theme parties for the past few years - and if you need an example of one such party, look no further than the movie’s opening act entitled ‘White Trash Bash’, which among other things, has a bean dip served in a toilet bowl. Eric’s idea is obviously met with some resistance at first, particularly among the girls, though one by one each one of his friends gradually warm up to getting naked in front of and taking turns to get laid with each other.

Don’t for a second go off thinking that they are a group of deviants though - on the contrary, these are largely upwardly mobile New York professionals we are talking about. Sue (Michelle Borth), who has always had a thing for Eric, signs up quite readily. Then there’s the uptight lawyer Adam (Nick Kroll), the rock musician Duquez (Martin Starr) and his girlfriend Willow (Angela Sarafyan), the psychologist Alison (Lake Bell), and the de rigueur pudgy comic relief character Mike (Tyler Labine). Two last-minute additions come in the form of Glenn (Will Forte) and Kate (Lucy Punch), newlyweds and the group’s only married friends who were left out for obvious reasons at the start.

Saving the best for last, writer/ helmers Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck (who have written for ‘The Larry Sanders Show’, ‘Frasier’ and ‘King of the Hill’ on TV) spend the first hour planning the Kama Sutra-themed orgy. A particularly funny sequence has Eric and Mike seeking David Koechner’s kimono-wearing orgy expert’s sage advice at a mattress store doubling as a clandestine swingers’ party; but other than that, the rest of the hour unfolds at a rather amiable pace throughout, with moments of high hilarity few and far in between. Nonetheless, the cast is relatively engaging, and despite the rather bland material, are still a chummy bunch to hang out with.

Yet we suspect the highlight for most audiences is none other than the titular act itself. Like we said at the start, it is also for that reason we suspect the overall movie won't be very much satisfying. Indeed, when the softcore excitement does come around, it is in fact pretty tame. Sure there is nudity and some humping to go around, but if you’re expecting to see some of the bigger names in the cast go naked or anything that you might call explicit, you're probably better off going on the Internet.

And no, the fact that it ends on a sweet note with a group hug probably won't quite make up for its lack of. Because it isn't laugh-out-loud funny often enough, and isn't quite live up to its titillating name, we suspect many will find this R-rated version of Adam Sandler’s ‘Grown Ups’ quite the listless bore. Yes, you’ll probably step out feeling rather ‘meh’, but we emphathise - after all, when you hook your audiences in with the promise of a ‘good old fashioned orgy’, you’d better have the goods to back it up. 

Movie Rating:

(Neither funny or raunchy enough to satisfy, this bland sex comedy fails to arouse your comedic or more carnal senses)

Review by Gabriel Chong