Sex and Breakfast (2005) Poster

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6/10
Worth watching and talking about
dlpetey12 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Reading through the posts I found it interesting that, like me at first, most posters were interested in if we got to see some T&A. I'll admit that is the reason I watched the movie but after finishing the film I felt compelled to write a review. I'm not much of a writer so bare with me.

The basic premise of the film is two couples decide to explore their relationships though group sex counseling. We get to watch as the relationships change for the better or worse as the time to act grows closer and then the aftermath.

The movie starts off with an interesting mix of awkwardness that turned me off a little at first but I grew to enjoy. The banter between Dushku and Kuno was lighthearted yet deep, giving a feeling of intimacy to the relationship. Contrasted by the dynamic between Culkin and Dziena, showing the need to please of Culkin's character and the oblivious nature of being self absorbed in Dziena's character. Throughout the entire file I felt like a fly on the wall, seeing into the lives of the characters and getting a real sense for their feelings.

As one in an amazing committed relationship with my wife of seven years, although I can't relate to "opening up the relationship", I connected with the struggle to keep the relationship alive. As with anything, love needs attention and work. At the end of the film the two couples got what they were deep down looking for, a deepening of love and a reason to stay together or the final wake up call and a reason to leave.

I liked to film and how it dealt with a sensitive subject. I don't think sleeping with other couples is a good way to force communicating, but possibly watching a film about it will spark talk and lead to a better relationship.
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4/10
Shock and awe don't make up for a poor film.
cadoras998 January 2008
I didn't have any expectations for this movie, but 52 people have it a 7.9, it was free, so I figured I'd give it a go. Blah. The good news is Eliza Dushku has nice legs, and now I want a Denver omelet. An hour and 20 minutes of poor acting, weak lines, and a forced pill of controversy don't do much for me. Macaulay's mannerisms seem terribly forced, but at least it seemed like he tried. He failed, but he tried. The rest of the cast was forgettable, there are several pointless scenes and what's more, the film tries to focus on sex. The awkwardness was decently conveyed, but without spoiling a movie short on content, the ending really just treats it as a red herring. Sex and relationships, at least make up your mind what your movie is about before you shoot it, because whoever wrote this obviously wasn't talented enough to include both. Eh, at least there was some Sea Wolf in there.
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5/10
Uninspired.
Panterken16 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
There aren't many reviews here so there's actually a a decent chance people are actually going to read my comment for a change.

Sex And Breakfast deals with relationship problems through the story of two couples, who face different problems. Heater&James have to deal with impotency, while Renee&Ellis feel their relationship lacks excitement. Simultaneously they visit a rather obscure relationship counselor, who suggests group sex as a therapy. One partner is obviously more reluctant than the other , and it soon becomes clear that while the therapy is a desperate last attempt to mend the relationship, it could very well be the thing that will destroy it.

This is the rather thin premise, a characteristic not uncommon for these kinds of movies. The acting is decent throughout, Kuno Becker clearly stood out from the rest of the cast. Macaulay Culkin was mediocre at best, in some scenes he's painfully bad even.

My enjoyment of the movies wasn't helped by the very shaky script, clearly written (with the intertwining scenes) to look clever, but not succeeding in doing so. The whole movie felt a bit uninspired and pointless. There are some small moral messages that can be taken away from the movie, but most mediocre dramas have.

Nothing earth-shattering here...it felt like a lot of other indie movies and left me indifferent.

5 sounds about right...
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3/10
Macaulay Good - Premise Good - Execution Flawed
CarmaChan20 December 2010
It was nice to see Macaulay in a grown-up role and he did great. I don't know what changed between his first reading of the script and the final cut, but this movie is totally flawed and extremely disappointing. The title and premise are promising, the acting is good, but the overall story is just nuts and unbelievable and the ending is non-existent. They simply stopped telling a story that was out of focus and implausible. It's irritating that money gets spent to make a movie based on such a flawed story, when there are so many great stories out there written by new screenwriters who study and work hard to learn their craft.
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5/10
The most unerotic film about sex that I've ever seen
scinatfilm31 August 2008
While it's not an awful film, one would expect that the filmmakers (and I'm using the term loosely to include the cast and writer as well) would be able to explore some of the more complex emotions associated with sex. And no, I'm not complaining about the complete lack of nudity either (well, maybe I am a little).

But some of the MOST erotic scenes in film history have had no nudity (think "Streetcar Named Desire") so it's hard for me to give a pass to the filmmakers here, because they really had no excuse for making these characters completely unsexy (and to do that to Eliza Dushku is a crime, BTW)

Some films you want more because they "tasted so good." This one I wanted more because there was no substance (and not much style either)

Check out "Lie With Me" or "Flannel Pajamas" if you're looking for a self-involved indie that deals frankly with sex.
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3/10
Don't waste your money or time
kevin-179625 January 2008
This film failed on all counts. While I accept that couples of any age can experience the problems that these couples are dealing with, but throughout the film it seems that their real problem is that they are bored.

The ending was the only part of the movie that I thought made any sense, and then only just.

My wife and I almost never agree 100% on movies, our tastes are completely different. We both 100% detested this film.

So, to summarize: * No Plot * Bad Writing * Actors who seem disinterested in the material, or they were poorly directed * Zero nudity

There are much better movies that cover similar territory, find one.
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7/10
Means to an end
gradyharp25 January 2008
Though many will avoid this little film because the title and DVD cover suggest a mindless mélange of sexual encounters, those who can get past these flaws will find a well written (Miles Brandman) examination of young people's concepts of relationships and how to keep them. Brandman also directs this stylish charmer and has at his disposal actors not usually associated with a more serious type of story.

James (Macaulay Culkin) and Heather (Alexis Dziena) are young, attractive and in love, though Heather is finally able to confide in James that she is unable to achieve orgasm in their otherwise satisfactory sex life. Ellis (Kuno Becker) and Renee (Eliza Dushku) are another couple whose intimate life has lost its sparkle. Each of the couples (who have never met) hears about sex therapist Dr. Wellbridge (Joanna Miles) who supports the concept of group sex as a means to strengthen relationships grown stale. Each couple meets with the doctor, reveals their insecurities and fears and Dr. Wellbridge arranges a 'session' for the two couples to share an evening of intimate interaction. How this 'change' alters each couple's relationship is the message of the film: some surprises are in store that are unsuspected.

Yes, there is comedy here and yes, there is thoughtful dialog, but the pleasure of the film lies in discovering the expanded acting abilities demonstrated by these four young attractive actors. The film may not be deep, but it does entertain and it most certainly has some useful information about love and relationships we all need to know. Grady Harp
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1/10
not worth watching
ipop0710 January 2008
OK i wont be long but i gotta say this, i watched this movie because of the other recommendations (i.e. The eternal sunshine of the spotless mind) but i ended up wasting one hr and a bit of my life. As the others stated, the movie has no point no story line and has absolutely no life into it...it does nothing other than selling sex like many movies these days but yeah besides that the actors seem to force themselves into acting, it just doesn't look natural. And i just want to restate what the other 2 comments say, what couple so young (oh btw Alexis Dziena looks like shes 15) already have problems like that...anyway i could ramble on and on but i think i got my point across
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6/10
A New And Effective Approach on Sex
StevenC42813 March 2008
I don't know who labelled this movie as 'selling sex' or 'unrealistic', because let me reassure you that this move is neither.

First off, if you're expecting some type of nudity or comedy, this movie will offer neither. It has a very minimum amount of nudity and the jokes just fall short.

With that, this movie is just not about sex. It brings us to a very realistic world where couples do struggle to keep their relationship alive. Culkin and Dziena star as a couple, though very much in love, have trouble keeping up with a satisfying sex life. Dziena's failure to have a orgasm with Culkin is their main issue. Dushku and Becker is yet another couple who want to try new things in order to keep a spark in their sex life. Both couples turn to group sex counseling as a possible solution to their issues.

I've heard of group sex counseling before and it is a very real thing. The movie broadens on the issue and shows the advantages and disadvantages of it. This movie is not 'unrealistic' and many people turn to group sex counseling as a possible solution. And this movie is not about 'selling sex' because there are barely any sex scenes in the film. I've seen horror films with more sex than this film...maybe you should turn to those films.

The movie is awkward and the dialogue is a bit brim. The acting from the cast is a bit overrated and over-dramatic. Usually, Dushku performs well in her films but she fell flat with this one.
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1/10
How many % of population would think about this solution if a relationship wouldn't "work" properly
zana-stankovic24 February 2008
I am very sorry if someone did like this movie, but I found it awful. How many % of population would think about this solution if a relationship wouldn't "work" properly? From the beginning to the end. No sense, no logic, no reality. I don' t think that in real life people who find having problems in their relationship should not look for extremely strange solutions for save the relationship. I believe that maybe there are some examples that do that, but not for the same reason. sessions to long without any word or sound. pretty boring. no dynamic. it seems very unreal. I expected much more. actors are OK, their contribution is good as it can be in their role. scenes of sex are difficult for them, they are too young. everything is extended. hard to stay focused because it is not interesting at all. I wanted to watch until the end because of commenting otherwise i wouldn' t.
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9/10
in you want this as comedy you be disappointed, its a drama
siiixbox12 January 2008
unlike the other 3 guys who did not like the movie, i did, many will make the mistake and expect a normal comedy where this is most definitely a drama, as its not the jokes or story what makes the movie interesting but how personalities of characters are react and develop to the story given challenge. in this case 3 in general monogamous and 1 poly capable person decide the 1st time experience group sex, the expectations they have and the mistakes they do. i have a unique perspective as i do live for a long time sexually open/poly, so for me its very interesting to see how others see this issue, the acting is brilliant and the reactions of the characters reminds me on people i known in the past who got in to similar situations, its rare to find a movie on this subject. the only reason i cant give this movie a 10 is because the story-line is pulled out to thin, sometimes it becomes boring because absolutely nothing happening for minutes, they filled those long minutes with "everyday" conversations that do not build on the story-line nor are in any way interesting nor funny
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7/10
Well Let's get clear-this is a good movie
vilislav8 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
It's just far more complicated than it appears. It tells a story about two couples , who due to longterm relationships decide to try something new.They go to this therapy, where couples change their partners- polygamia or something.In the first couple the women is sorry for the term but whore in my words. she just wanted wild sex, but her boyfriend was conservative but they love each other and everything seems to be fine. The second couple presents a woman , who wants to try out with other women and pure alpha man. These two couples change the partners. Fot the man in the second couple and the woman in the first it means nothing, cuz they were closer like characters. But this was very bad for the other two. They felt unsatisfied not sexually but mentally. They were not ready for such thing. The first couple breaks off after and second one seems to remain together but he film is with open final. I 'm hoping as an expert in the field to be in your help.
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2/10
Elongated short film and very disappointing!
gsolna17 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The 2 stars go to Eliza Dushku - without her I wouldn't have bothered to continue with this snooze-fest!

Firstly this looked like a low/no budget movie and reduced it to looking like a student film. That, and also it felt like the concept may have been an idea for a short but was then stretched out into a "feature"... It really doesn't work because there is no real drama here - I didn't feel like I could know the 4 main characters - the only character who seemed to have an attempt at becoming multi-layered is Renee.. From the mention of wanting to be with a girl and then befriending the waitress, who seemed like she could be a lesbian, a new layer began to unravel for Renee. Ellis who felt threatened by this didn't react the way Renee (and possibly the people in the audience) expected. It was supposed to be a turn on but it back fired and their relationship inadvertently came under scrutiny.

I liked the ending for Renee, in that she left the waitress' number behind and we don't know if it was by accident or if on purpose to commit to her relationship with Ellis. There was something endearing about that...

But this in itself was not enough to make this movie worth a see - I think Dushku fans (including myself) will watch this just for her and will be glad to finally see her in something, anything... however it makes one wonder why on earth she did this! She is capable of so much more and it's sad to see her career not really going anywhere :( The rest of the cast were just okay - Macaulay Culkin is miscast, you can't help but see the home alone kid only he's gotten old and ugly! There is no attempt on his side to change his look and to be taken seriously as an adult actor either. The other two who I have never seen before are quite wooden and contrived.

Final thought - don't bother! Sorry Dushku but what were you thinking?!
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2/10
Terrible
itamarscomix30 July 2012
Sex and Breakfast tries to say something meaningful and profound about sex and relationships, but the script is so poorly conceived and constructed that any message it may have had is muddled up beyond recognition. If you're looking for an enlightenment, you're likely to end up either confused or angry; if you're looking just for entertainment, look somewhere else. The movie tries so hard to be important that it never even tries to entertain, and it ends up being neither. As a result it may be one of the dullest and most forgettable movies you'll see, despite its shock value (which is much less shocking than it tries to be), the admittedly intriguing subject matter, and the competent editing and cinematography. The sad truth is that the only real draw it has is a group sex scene featuring the kid from Home Alone.
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Leaves a nasty taste in the mouth
Phil_Chester1 January 2019
Yuk! Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The great Macaulay Culkin tramps around aimlessly in this sleazy indie dud that makes you pine so much for John Hughes's genius. Really poor writing lets the film down big time, despite the cast's sterling efforts to raise it above bottom-feeder status. Avoid, unless you can handle the horrible taste it leaves in your mouth afterwards.
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4/10
Very poor...
Thanos_Alfie22 January 2019
"Sex and Breakfast" is a Drama - Romance movie in which we watch two young couples trying to save their relationships. After a lot of problems, it is obvious that both relationships cannot work and something else has to be done in order to actually work. They both visit a psychologist who is very familiar with such cases and she suggests for all of them to try something new. So, she suggests trying partner-swapping.

I was expecting something better than that and I believe that I lost one and a half hour of my life watching this movie. It doesn't have an interesting plot or may I say a plot, it doesn't succeed in making us understand the problems of the couples in order for us to feel that we are a part of this movie and we actually understand them. The direction which was made by Miles Brandman was poor and without any imagination, a lot of cliché about the couple's relationships and how that affects all of them. Regarding the interpretations, I believe that Macaulay Culkin made a decent interpretation playing as James and all the others were simply below average.

To sum up, I have to say that "Sex and Breakfast" is a very poor movie, with a boring plot and only one decent interpretation. I don't recommend this movie to anyone because I am sure that if you watch it you will regret it and you will think that you wasted your time watching it.
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3/10
Macaulay Culkin was great, but the movie was not!
lizim1522 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I set out to watch this movie in a desperate attempt to find a film with Macaulay Culkin that did not involve him booby trapping a house for Joe Pescy, being Thomas J in My Girl, or him being the inheritor of the Rich fortune. I thought based on the title and synopsis that it would be a great combination (Macaulay Culkin + sex) but I was wrong. While this film had a good concept, all the actors were forgettable (disregarding Culkin), and the movie seemed to drag on depressingly until it came to an unsatisfying (both sexually and plot wise) end. The only reason anyone could possibly wish to put themselves through this boring movie about 2 couples who are essentially miserable, is in an attempt to see Macaulay do something as an adult actor. Good news is, Macaulay has not (or at least as of 2007) lost his acting skills. I think he actually does come off somewhat appealing and that it is a horrible shame that the only other film he has done as an adult was Saved. He should really start acting again for the sake of us Culkin fans, as the closest one can seem to get to Mac these days is by watching a few old Rory Culkin flicks like Lime Life (which likewise was horribly boring yet also had a good premise). This movie was a good concept that was dragged on in an uneventful and depressed manner. I strongly believe that given some better writers and having gotten rid of both Eliza's co-star, Becker, and Mac's useless girlfriend who was unbelievable and fake, this film could have been good.
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6/10
Fine
drivemenutzlong3 March 2020
The women look great, the movie's not terribly offensive or deep. The film was shot nice. It probably runs just a little long & there's some stuff that could otherwise be condensed or omitted. I didn't feel like my time was wasted watching it. Don't expect a lighthearted comedy!
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7/10
... must-stay till-the-end
bjarias25 April 2021
... once-when you-realize where-you-are in-a-relationship

... honesty-can-be-useful... yet-not-entirely-helpful

... 4-people ... who came-out-better.
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8/10
This is not about sex.
jessex_xy25 January 2008
I don't see how anyone saw this as only sex. Sexually charged. Sex as a goal. The emotions of sex. All those but not 'just' sex. Relationships. Couples pushing limits. Rules we have for each other that maybe are not that. Maybe nature breeds into us what we will and will not accept -or maybe it's only culture. Tough to say much more without spoiling. I'll agree the dialog, especially near the beginning was rookie. Crude. Trying to shock and instead sounding like 11-year old's trying out new words. But somewhere in there it became what it needed to be to make this an interesting movie. No problem recommending this one. Decide for yourself what it's about. Maybe it's quite different for each. Suggestion: unless you're willing to put your own relationship out there for scrutiny you maybe don't want to watch this with a girl/boyfriend. Better an opposite sex friend that you are not in a sexual or emotional relationship with.
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6/10
Not a bad film
moreymark28 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I saw a reasonably healthy rating for this film (which has since slipped) on this site, so I thought I would hire it. I didn't expect a comedy, and I didn't expect much sex, being a M-15 in Australia. It was okay, although I could never imagine a psychologist recommending group sex as therapy for couples. That was until I used Google, and indeed I found that there is group sex therapy, albeit on the fringes.

I have reached my own sexual and relationship ephinanies, so I didn't need the sex and relationship message, although I imagine that I could have gained something from this if I was in my early twenties. But there was another message for me, not very subtle, and that was that nice guys finish last! Ellis wanted the group sex, his girlfriend wasn't really into it, but Ellis was a quite forceful with his relationship issues all the way through the film. He had his group sex experience, and he still had his girlfriend, and nice-guy James was dumped.

There was more to this movie than meets the eyes, and the characters were interesting contrasts to one another. All had different reasons for participating, and all had different outcomes. I've seen better movies, of course, but I've seen many worse ones than this too.
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6/10
This Was A Great Concept, But...
alarmanwp30 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I must say the concept of this movie was a very interesting one: Two couples try to save their foundering relationships by trying group sex. The whole wife-swapping/group sex idea has been floating around the sex therapy community for decades, but with no definitive results. But it always makes for interesting and titillating entertainment in movies, even TV shows (think "Bob, Carol, Ted, and Alice" from the early '70s). So, I was curious to check out this relatively new take on the genre.

Macaulay Culkin (all grown up) and Alexis Dziena (of "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" fame) are James and Heather, two young lovers whose relationship started out strong, with James in particular believing he had found the love of his life. But apparently love is not enough, as Heather's inability to experience orgasm with him builds a huge wall between them.

Ellis and Renee, (played by popular Mexican TV actor Kuno Becker and my personal favorite hottie, Eliza Dushku) on the other hand, are a couple who've been together so long that things have started to get a little too routine. In particular, the sexually adventurous Renee is looking to try something a little different, maybe a little girl-girl action with the waitress at their favorite diner...

Realizing they have problems, the couples separately attend a seminar hosted by a sex therapist whose claim to fame is group sex therapy. So it is that these two couples wind up together. I think this movie would have been better if they had immediately gotten to the therapy and explored the results a little more. As it stands, they only had one session together toward the end of the movie; and afterward, they didn't really do much with what, if anything, they learned. This movie spent too much time on the wind-up, giving us glimpses into their personal situations leading up to the big event, while not leaving enough time to experiment; one session, with all of the angst and apprehension you would expect in this situation (and there was plenty), would not be enough to truly benefit both couples. Hell, if your gonna' sign on to this concept of group sex therapy, why not give it a real chance to work? The problem is, in the end I don't think writer/director Miles Brandman ever really signed on.

In that sense, this movie was a disappointment. That said, I thought these young actors did a fantastic job with what they had. Culkin and Dziena played the couple that seemed to have the bigger relationship issues, and they both rose to this challenge. Eliza Dushku's performance really stood out to me because Renee seemed to be the most complicated of the characters. Dushku always plays the girl you wish was your girlfriend, but with a very edgy attitude. All in all very good performances, but they needed a little more to work with in order to make this a really good film.
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7/10
a 7/10 is too much but a movie that makes on me such an impression certainly deserves it
romaicaa28 June 2010
A nice comeback for the Home Alone star on the big screen. A really nice plot with a nice parametric definition . I liked how each actor and actress played its own character and it own personalities The subject to be discussed is really interesting besides it was well handled only dis was the short length and maybe the plot wouldn't be such comprehensive if not ; but I think a risk should have been taken. The move in lines tells the of relationships point in case lovers of different situations and different views but one similar need which is they all want their relationships to continue or not or maybe they don't have a clue but again which of us do ? the movie asks the questions and I think it was a brave thing to do and take a shot at answering them and so it ends obligating you with an answer to the question what do you want to do with you life I actually think that many out there would disagree with me giving it a 7/10 but i am not exaggerating because this sort of wide screen media happens to have the right to be called a movie it has the basics of movie the director knows the principals and knows how to handle them 3 out of 4 actors went to work and the script is comprehensive but short thus 7 though i wouldn't be surprise if i saw a 4 or 5 in other reviews it will be that the movies didn't play your song but if it does the you will be left with a smile on your face
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