#REVIEW: “SEX AFTER KIDS”

Sexuality often is explored in a sensual manner in Film, but Canadian Writer/Director Jeremy Lalonde opts to look at the humorous aspects of it all.  At the heart of Sex After Kids are five Couples who see the flames of passion in their sex lives dwindle to a flicker following their transition to the role of Parent.  Despite the humour here, what we get here is an examination of the oft-painful realities and  taxing affects which are prevalent as energies are shifted while these Couples’ relationships continue to evolve.  We also get the perspective of the Single Parent too and their  struggles in finding love and sex in this Era of dating and relationships.

In Sex After Kids, we meet Ben (Ennis Esmer) and Jules (Shannon Beckner), who are struggling to revive that spark they had prior to their Baby being born; sex if anything becomes painful and  Ben is met with growing temptation with advances coming from a lustful Colleague in Markee (Katie Boland).  We meet Markee‘s Parents Horton (Jay Brazeau) and Dolores (Mimi Kuzyk) who come clean about their own sexual frustrations after many years of marriage, wondering whether or not it is too late for change.  Larissa (Mary Krohnert) and Jody (Kate Hewlett) are a Lesbian Couple whom with the recent birth of their Child are grappling with their new roles as Mothers – one being the biological Mother and the other coping with her own difficulty conceiving. A dynamic shift also occurs between Sean (Peter Keleghan) and Vanessa (Amanda Brugel), accustomed to living the high life, only to be pulled further away from that lifestyle once they have a Child; we see Sean decreasingly interested in sex with his Wife.  We also meet Single Dad Gage (Kris Holden-Ried) and Single Mom Lou (Zoie Palmer), each dealing with their own frustrations, whether it be the former looking for real love or the latter looking to have her sexual needs taken care of, hence on the advice of her visiting Brother Peyton (Paul Amos) she decides to take a few risks in her Sex Life.

Lalonde intertwines cleverly some intriguing Storylines here – enough to pique our interest for a near-two hours – which by no means is an easy feat considering the quantity of Characters and complex Subplots ambitiously criss-crossing one another. True, this is a Film about Sex, but beneath the surface is a Cesspool of emotions and we find ourselves  drawn more to the relationships binding these Individuals together.

Particularly engaging is a British-accented Palmer who incessantly wallows in Lou‘s insecurities to much laughter, while Brugel goes over-the-top in a comedic way in an all-out attempt to win her Husband Sean‘s affections and attentions. Holden-Ried always is a delight on-screen and he plays his Single Dad with great empathy.  It also is a pleasure to see some of our Hometown Heroes like Gordon Pinsent and Kristin Booth in funny roles, even if only for a quick moment.

Indiecan Entertainment releases Sex After Kids on Friday, February 7, 2014 followed by additional Cities across Canada.