Body Shots (1999)

 
BODY SHOTS is an intriguing, at-times-entertaining study of sex 
without love, plus a late-in-the-game primer on date rape.  Sean 
Patrick Flanery, Jerry O'Connell, Amanda Peet, Tara Reid, Ron Liv-
ingston, Emily Procter, Brad Rowe, and Sybil Temchen star as an oc-
tet of twentysomething singles (four boys, four girls) who go on a 
group date.  (As described by the characters talking to the camera, 
it's the newest form of non-dating, having your friends meet theirs 
and seeing who pairs off.)  They meet at a club, do some drinking 
'n' dancing, and end up pressing fresh in four decidedly different 
kinds of encounters.  As the film's framing device reveals, one of 
the latter involves a rape, which opens its *own* can of narrative 
worms.  (Despite a high Woody Factor in earlier scenes, this is 
most definitely *not* a date movie!)  The raw sex talk is refresh-
ing, though, and the quotes are occasionally priceless.  (My fave:  
"I could do... spreadsheets down there.")  Oh, and you *do* learn 
such questionably useful tips as how to trick someone into thinking 
that you're wearing a condom.  Like *that's* a practice we need to 
practice...  Michael Cristofer directs from David McKenna's screen-
play.  (Rated "R"/102 min.)

Grade: C+

Copyright 1999 Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros

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