Durga Films
Bearing a comic premise more suited to the unlamented sitcom "Coupling" than to a feature-length film, this debut effort concerns a woman's infatuation with her vibrator and her efforts to pretend to her girlfriends that it's actually her new boyfriend.
The provocatively titled "Love & Orgasms" ultimately tries too hard to combine farcical comedy with the projection of modern attitudes about female sexuality. The results, while occasionally funny, are more than a little strained. The film, currently seeking distribution, recently had its premiere at the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) International Film Festival.
Written and directed by Dana Offenbach, the picture concerns the romantic travails faced by Donna Greenberg (Anyssa McAleer), an attractive advertising executive who has recently broken up with a boyfriend who turned out to be bisexual. Donna is immediately pressured by her friends to get back into the dating game, especially her engaged Latina friend Regina (Carmel Renee Macklin).
Discovering the liberating sexual benefits of her vibrator, Donna pretends that her newly sunny disposition is actually the result of a relationship with a guy named "Bob Starr", who she teasingly describes as being bald, not too tall, and an electrician. Unfortunately, she's expected to produce "Bob" on social occasions, most importantly Gina's wedding party.
Much of the film's humor comes from an extended sequence set at the party, for which Gina has solicited a boorish co-worker to pose as her boyfriend, with the inevitable farcical complications. Adding a further wrinkle is the fact that Gina, despite being in a longtime relationship with her fiance, has never actually had an orgasm with him and is beginning to wonder whether she's making a mistake.
Offenbach peppers the film with humorous touches, some of which work, others of which, like the visual cutaway from an act of masturbation to a spouting fountain, are far too obvious. There are also sly feminist touches, such as having the attractive Donna constantly ordering fattening food, thereby sending the desired message about body image. Generally, the funniest moments come not from the main character, but rather from the supporting characters Gina, who is given the best acerbic lines, and her clueless, macho fiance.
Tech aspects are rough-hewn, to say the least.
Bearing a comic premise more suited to the unlamented sitcom "Coupling" than to a feature-length film, this debut effort concerns a woman's infatuation with her vibrator and her efforts to pretend to her girlfriends that it's actually her new boyfriend.
The provocatively titled "Love & Orgasms" ultimately tries too hard to combine farcical comedy with the projection of modern attitudes about female sexuality. The results, while occasionally funny, are more than a little strained. The film, currently seeking distribution, recently had its premiere at the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) International Film Festival.
Written and directed by Dana Offenbach, the picture concerns the romantic travails faced by Donna Greenberg (Anyssa McAleer), an attractive advertising executive who has recently broken up with a boyfriend who turned out to be bisexual. Donna is immediately pressured by her friends to get back into the dating game, especially her engaged Latina friend Regina (Carmel Renee Macklin).
Discovering the liberating sexual benefits of her vibrator, Donna pretends that her newly sunny disposition is actually the result of a relationship with a guy named "Bob Starr", who she teasingly describes as being bald, not too tall, and an electrician. Unfortunately, she's expected to produce "Bob" on social occasions, most importantly Gina's wedding party.
Much of the film's humor comes from an extended sequence set at the party, for which Gina has solicited a boorish co-worker to pose as her boyfriend, with the inevitable farcical complications. Adding a further wrinkle is the fact that Gina, despite being in a longtime relationship with her fiance, has never actually had an orgasm with him and is beginning to wonder whether she's making a mistake.
Offenbach peppers the film with humorous touches, some of which work, others of which, like the visual cutaway from an act of masturbation to a spouting fountain, are far too obvious. There are also sly feminist touches, such as having the attractive Donna constantly ordering fattening food, thereby sending the desired message about body image. Generally, the funniest moments come not from the main character, but rather from the supporting characters Gina, who is given the best acerbic lines, and her clueless, macho fiance.
Tech aspects are rough-hewn, to say the least.
Durga Films
Bearing a comic premise more suited to the unlamented sitcom "Coupling" than to a feature-length film, this debut effort concerns a woman's infatuation with her vibrator and her efforts to pretend to her girlfriends that it's actually her new boyfriend.
The provocatively titled "Love & Orgasms" ultimately tries too hard to combine farcical comedy with the projection of modern attitudes about female sexuality. The results, while occasionally funny, are more than a little strained. The film, currently seeking distribution, recently had its premiere at the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) International Film Festival.
Written and directed by Dana Offenbach, the picture concerns the romantic travails faced by Donna Greenberg (Anyssa McAleer), an attractive advertising executive who has recently broken up with a boyfriend who turned out to be bisexual. Donna is immediately pressured by her friends to get back into the dating game, especially her engaged Latina friend Regina (Carmel Renee Macklin).
Discovering the liberating sexual benefits of her vibrator, Donna pretends that her newly sunny disposition is actually the result of a relationship with a guy named "Bob Starr", who she teasingly describes as being bald, not too tall, and an electrician. Unfortunately, she's expected to produce "Bob" on social occasions, most importantly Gina's wedding party.
Much of the film's humor comes from an extended sequence set at the party, for which Gina has solicited a boorish co-worker to pose as her boyfriend, with the inevitable farcical complications. Adding a further wrinkle is the fact that Gina, despite being in a longtime relationship with her fiance, has never actually had an orgasm with him and is beginning to wonder whether she's making a mistake.
Offenbach peppers the film with humorous touches, some of which work, others of which, like the visual cutaway from an act of masturbation to a spouting fountain, are far too obvious. There are also sly feminist touches, such as having the attractive Donna constantly ordering fattening food, thereby sending the desired message about body image. Generally, the funniest moments come not from the main character, but rather from the supporting characters Gina, who is given the best acerbic lines, and her clueless, macho fiance.
Tech aspects are rough-hewn, to say the least.
Bearing a comic premise more suited to the unlamented sitcom "Coupling" than to a feature-length film, this debut effort concerns a woman's infatuation with her vibrator and her efforts to pretend to her girlfriends that it's actually her new boyfriend.
The provocatively titled "Love & Orgasms" ultimately tries too hard to combine farcical comedy with the projection of modern attitudes about female sexuality. The results, while occasionally funny, are more than a little strained. The film, currently seeking distribution, recently had its premiere at the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) International Film Festival.
Written and directed by Dana Offenbach, the picture concerns the romantic travails faced by Donna Greenberg (Anyssa McAleer), an attractive advertising executive who has recently broken up with a boyfriend who turned out to be bisexual. Donna is immediately pressured by her friends to get back into the dating game, especially her engaged Latina friend Regina (Carmel Renee Macklin).
Discovering the liberating sexual benefits of her vibrator, Donna pretends that her newly sunny disposition is actually the result of a relationship with a guy named "Bob Starr", who she teasingly describes as being bald, not too tall, and an electrician. Unfortunately, she's expected to produce "Bob" on social occasions, most importantly Gina's wedding party.
Much of the film's humor comes from an extended sequence set at the party, for which Gina has solicited a boorish co-worker to pose as her boyfriend, with the inevitable farcical complications. Adding a further wrinkle is the fact that Gina, despite being in a longtime relationship with her fiance, has never actually had an orgasm with him and is beginning to wonder whether she's making a mistake.
Offenbach peppers the film with humorous touches, some of which work, others of which, like the visual cutaway from an act of masturbation to a spouting fountain, are far too obvious. There are also sly feminist touches, such as having the attractive Donna constantly ordering fattening food, thereby sending the desired message about body image. Generally, the funniest moments come not from the main character, but rather from the supporting characters Gina, who is given the best acerbic lines, and her clueless, macho fiance.
Tech aspects are rough-hewn, to say the least.
- 12/15/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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