The Sex Monster: Be Careful What You Wish For

Marty is your average, red-blooded American man. Married, gainfully employed, nice house – the whole enchilada. But one thing is missing, one desire that hasn’t been fulfilled. Marty wants to have a threesome. There are two things Marty pursues with vigor in this film, finding an investor for his architecture / design / construction firm and seeing his wife with another woman. What might be passed over by many as a soft-core adult film based solely on the plot, this should be required viewing for every man that has this type of fantasy. Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Not exactly a run away hit, The Sex Monster garnished most of it’s kudos when it was put into heavy rotation on HBO. Until recently, I had only seen bits and pieces of it – mostly the sex scenes and was a little disappointed after sitting down and watching it from start to finish. Even though this was less then what I expected – especially with the rather dull ending – there are a lot worse films I could have waster an hour and a half on.


The Plot

The Sex Monster is a good film, but it’s contents may offend some viewers. This isn’t an X rated film, but it’s highly erotic and guaranteed to put the spark back into a simmering relationship. Taking a peek into the lives of Marty and Laura, you would think they have it all – the complete package. Completely in love with each other and married for six years, Marty’s gentle yet persistent suggestions for a ménage a trios finally come to light with the entrance of Didi. After the first few encounters Marty finds himself more of a voyeur than an active participant. Camping out on the couch isn’t exactly what he had planned.

Before too long Laura is branching out, making the moves on Diva [Missy Crider], her husband’s administrative assistant. Marty is forced to reevaluate his stance on the whole “bisexual” idea when his wife turns into a nymphomaniac. It’s not until Marty has to face his own mortality, via a biopsy for an unidentified polyp, that Laura takes it down a notch and goes back to the housewife / hairdresser routine. In a bizarre twist of events, Marty asks Laura to ‘get chummy’ with Evie Pembroke, wife of Dave – his most promising investor. As expected, Dave shows up while his wife is bound and gagged with Hugo Boss ties. All hell breaks loose, but since this is a film - things eventually return to normal. Make sure you watch the last five minutes of the film to learn the true meaning of the saying “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander”.

The Cast

Marty Barnes
Mike Binder
[4 Second Delay, Blankman]

Antagonized by radio talk shows, men’s magazines and a vivid imagination, Marty is all but consumed with the though of his wife engaging in a threesome. When his wish is finally granted he is happier than a kid in a candy store. This is one of the best scenes in the film [non-sexual scene of course] – bounding down the stairs to replenish lost fluids he can’t help but gloat. Mike Binder played this character to the bone. From enraged and disgruntled husband to tickled pink and sexually satisfied man stud – his acting is genuine. While his character is animated, some of the scenes come off flat due to lack of emotion. Mike Binder is also the author of the story, creator of the script and director of the film.

Laura Barnes
Mariel Hemmingway
[Suicide Club, Star 80]

I’ve never found Mariel Hemmingway very attractive, let alone sexy. Granted, she has a fantastic body for her age [42] but she ‘just isn’t my type’. She seems a little awkward with Laura’s character – especially in the first scene with Didi in the pool. She does manage to play the sexually repressed turned sex creature role well once she gets into it, but the first 30 minutes are a little stale. You get to see a bit of Hemmingway’s skills in the latter part of the film when she realizes that there is nothing wrong with wanting to have sex with women. Bonus points for her character throwing the blame on Marty’s shoulders when Evie is found in a rather compromising position.

Didi
Renee Humphrey
[Mallrats, Silent Jay and Bob Strike Back]

Playing the role as a bisexual lesbian [yes, you read that correctly], Didi is the young tart that unlocks Laura’s hidden sexual identity. Contrary to many films that have bisexual females, Didi’s character doesn’t come off as needy or co-dependant. She see’s Laura as a beautiful person that just happens to be a woman. Even though her character is only in about 13 minutes of the film, her actions impact the entire plot. Renee did a great job with this character and got to show a little more depth in this film than in her previous efforts.

The Bottom Line

While this isn’t a film that you’d run out and buy – it is defiantly worth viewing on cable. The story is extremely predictable but it’s the little things that give this a little sparkle. Stephen Baldwin’s character Murphy is the dry humor, rarely showing much expression or enthusiasm but often offering his elevated comment to conversations. Kevin Pollak is another character that helps to round out the film – Dr. Jerry Berman and his desert dry wit is a real asset to the cast of characters.

Some things to know – neither of the two lead females [Hemmingway and Humphrey] have fallen into the Hollywood trap of breast enlargement. This subtle and often overlooked fact is what gives this film a ‘real life’ feel. My only unanswered question about the films is this – if Marty’s wife is a hairdresser, why does his hair always look like hell?

Fans of Threesome [also starring Stephen Baldwin], Wild Things and 9 ½ Weeks might find this entertaining. The sex is tame compared to most R rated films; showing only bare breasts but letting the imagination run wild, The Sex Monster is the video equivalent to the J.C.Penny underwear catalog. It gives you the basics and let’s your imagination do the rest.


The Stats

Rating: R
[Sexual themes, nudity, language]
Released May 15, 1999
Run Time: 97 Minutes
Directed By: Mike Binder
Written By: Mike Binder
Distributed By: Trimark

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