It’s pretty obvious that director/writer Jim McGivney gets a lot of inspiration from Kevin Smith. Unfortunately, McGivney doesn’t have Smith’s talent, and that makes “Cyber Sex?” painful to endure. I just had a root canal a few weeks ago. I’d actually rather go through that again than sit through this movie a second time.
Any film that forces viewers to sit through scenes of characters typing instant messages to each other is bound to be a failure. Couple that with poor acting, clumsy dialogue meant to sound natural, and a storyline that goes nowhere, and you have the disaster that is this movie. It could’ve been funny and interesting, but to do that it would have to be another film.
The story spins aimlessly around Paul (Cyrus Nemati), a college student who doesn’t think anyone can find true love online. When he takes a chance and enters into a chat with Chrissy (Rachel Orf), he misses the opportunity to begin a real-time relationship with a clueless female who actually likes him (Sara Blindauer as Erin). Paul agrees to meet Chrissy and is relieved to find that she looks and acts normal … until they get into the bedroom. “Hilarity” ensues. Paul’s friends crack jokes at his expense, and all is well in the end. Kill me now.
I understand that college students can be as two-dimensional as they are portrayed in this short film. I believe they can be this dumb, too, but I don’t want to see a movie about them. Porn addicts, chat rooms, instant messages and drinking parties don’t make for interesting movie subjects unless they are written by someone who has an understanding of the psychology behind them. That is not McGivney (who also has a role in this movie as Chris, Paul’s porno loving friend).
“Cyber Sex?,” like the chat rooms it references, is boring and full of idiots. If there is any justice in this world, this movie will never be “re-imagined” as a full-length feature.
