I Want Your Sex
May 14th, 2026
MOVIE: I WANT YOUR SEX
STARRING: COOPER HOFFMAN, OLIVIA WILDE, MASON GOODING, DAVEED DIGGS, CHARLIE XCX
DIRECTED BY: GREGG ARAKI
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: R
RUN TIME: 90 MINUTES
The starting point of Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex comes when the audacious and provocative Erika Tracy- played spectacularly by Olivia Wilde- laments that “young people are just not having sex anymore,” a claim that isn’t exactly backed by facts, but one she insists she read in The New York Times or somewhere. With that statement, audiences immediately understand the message and motivation behind Araki’s hilarious, provocative new film. I Want Your Sex is the kind of bold, in-your-face movie that Hollywood is typically terrified to make, and the result is something you’ll want more of.
The film opens with an art installation of a woman’s vagina made entirely out of chewed bubble gum, immediately establishing the kind of work that would proudly be labeled “daring.” Twenty-something Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) and his co-worker Zap (Mason Gooding) complain that their jaws are sore from all the chewing before the intense Erika Tracy (Wilde) summons Elliot to her office. From the jump, she sexually harasses her intern, explaining that the two of them should probably sleep together, especially if he wants to keep his job. From there, we witness the toxic and sexually charged relationship between the pair as they navigate the worlds of art, desire, and the massive brick wall their situation is inevitably headed toward.
Interestingly, I Want Your Sex is one of the few Araki films that he didn’t write alone, collaborating instead with Karley Sciortino, and the partnership flourishes on screen. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and consistently hilarious. At one point, a character bluntly asks, “Have you ever sucked a cock?” Only for the response, “No,” to be met with, “Well, then you are not gay.” Meanwhile, the narrative deftly balances a comedy about relationships, sex, the art world, a murder mystery, and the state of young adulthood today. At times, I Want Your Sex feels like an episode of MTV’s Undressed filtered through a John Waters film, all anchored by a cast fully committed to pushing beyond the boundaries of their previous work.
It’s the performances- and the risks the cast is willing to take- that shine brightest. Hoffman, who has rightfully followed in his father’s footsteps, continues to prove himself fearless and unwilling to be typecast. His Elliot is both naïve and engaging, embracing the increasingly erotic situations he finds himself in while recoiling in fear as things spiral into dangerous territory. Hoffman delivers a wonderfully balanced performance, but Wilde’s incredible turn ultimately overshadows him. The director of The Invite is having quite a 2026. Her performance is simply spectacular, playing a sexually charged version of Miranda Priestly, fearless in her pursuit of control while quietly terrified that her art might one day be dismissed as irrelevant. If Wilde isn’t nominated for an Oscar, she should be firmly in the conversation for an Independent Spirit Award for this supporting performance.
This is Gregg Araki operating at full throttle, making a film that mocks Gen Z’s perceived prudishness while acknowledging just how difficult it is to be young with your entire life still ahead of you. It’s not an easy needle to thread, but I Want Your Sex is provocative, sexy, outrageous, and a gleeful acknowledgment of the absurdity of the art world. That’s what makes it feel so refreshing. Finally, here’s an art-house film willing to challenge audiences to live again- or at least have the sex they’ve been putting off for far too long. These are the kinds of risks worth taking: to embrace life again and pursue what we truly want without feeling guilty once we finally get it.
3 ½ STARS
I WANT YOUR SEX IS PLAYING AT SELECT THEATERS THIS FRIDAY, JULY 31ST, 2026.
Written by: Leo Brady
