What do you do when you’re in your early twenties and you’re already sexually frustrated and unfulfilled? What’s going to suck about that the most is that I have to tell these poor kids that if they’re frustrated at twenty-four, thirty-four is going to make them want to stick their wet fingers into a light socket. But this is what we’re dealing with today in this slight, somewhat vacuous slice of independent cinema ‘Sex and Breakfast’ which is about a pair of couples who have hit a sexual wall of sorts and want to ‘expand their horizons’ so to speak and experience the magic of group sex. Right of the bat before we get into the movie I just want to inform you that there is probably way more breakfast than sex in this flick, no nudity, a couple of close-ups of groaning faces,  so don’t fall for the raunchy subject matter looking for a cheap thrill. Uh uh. No way. Not happening. Not today.

James (McCauley Culkin) and Heather (Alexis Dziena) are engaged in little sexual act with Heather seemingly off in let field somewhere where James is doing his best. Even though Heather loves James to death she just can’t experience and orgasm with him. Anybody but him. She could brush up against a table and climax but just not with James which has them at a bit of a sexual standstill. James is the sensitive type who wants nothing more in life than to please his beautiful girlfriend so he agrees to go to some seminar thrown by sexual psychologist guru Dr. Wellbridge (Joanna Miles) who champions the joys of group sex in unleashing one’s sexual potency. In a personal meeting between the doctor and young couple we learn that Heather has already opened the relationship in hopes of curing their problem, which is crazy, but it didn’t help. Personally I would wonder how my woman having with some other dude is going help me help her bust a nut… but that’s just silly old me thinking again. Despite James’ reticence about the whole ‘group sex’ thing, he REALLY loves this girl and agrees to go along.

Across town, completely unbeknownst to our frustrated young couple are Ellis (Kuno Becker) and Renee (Eliza Dushku). They too are in a bit of a sexual rut as masturbation seems to be the order of the day. Ellis is the polar opposite of James as he is more of a hyper macho Latin type as he and lady Renee have a more confrontational relationship. They too decide their relationship needs some tinkering and at first surmise that perhaps some extreme sports, i.e., Bungie jumping or bull fighting would be the cure, but somehow, someway they meandered their way to sex with strangers and being as best elixir for them to break through their sexual brick wall. Makes sense to me.

As circumstance would have it this pair of young couples meet at the doctors office, and despite some hesitation proceed to the damn thing with each other. The ramifications and repercussions of said sexual acts will resonate soundly in determining the path that the relationships that these crazy kids will travel down.

I am fairly shocked that I found this particular film as interesting and engaging as I did. Ultimately this is a movie that had very little to say other than the fact that young people probably put more value into sex than is probably necessary. This film wasn’t particularly salacious because as I said earlier, all the sexuality is suggestion, chatter and people kissing on occasion with nary a boobie to be seen. And I certainly can’t relate in any way shape or form to a sexually frustrated twenty-something who wants to engage in sex with strangers. But despite the fact that this film lacked depth and substance, writer / director Miles Brandon crafted a film that managed to hold my interest from start to finish.

Being that the director himself is also all of twenty-five, he created characters and situations, though incredibly shallow, but managed to come off as very authentic. I also believe that he didn’t try to make his film anymore than what it was and didn’t attempt to make his subjects problems some kind of grand indictment on the state of the universe because for the most part, all four participants in our little game, with the possible exception of the character of James, are selfish, self centered, self absorbed unlikable characters. In a nutshell, Brandon kept the tome and focus of the film well within in his wheelhouse and didn’t stray beyond what he already knows. He also was very effective conveying the uncomfortable feeling that must accompany the moments before deciding to have sex with someone you don’t know. I guess. I wouldn’t know.

Kuno Becker and Eliza Dushku make one fine looking couple. Maybe the best looking movie couple ever. They should start breeding they look so good together. Acting though, they seem to struggle with that a bit with neither of them seeming to do much more than pose, preen and look sexy with neither of them capable of giving their characters anything beneath the surface. Perhaps this was by design. McCauley Culkin was the acting heavyweight in this film and more than carried his weight and lifted up the lovely Alexis Dzunia along with him, which is especially impressive considering that Culkin is the least likely of the four to qualify as a Gap model. Actress Traci Thoms makes and appearance and she is just adorable. Call me Traci.

I not beating around the bush with this flick, as it is a generally empty film with not a lot to say filled with a bunch of unlikable characters, but it is watchable and manages to entertain regardless.