In this film aptly named ‘Sex’, the narrative takes place in contemporary urban Norway. With some clever wordplay, it pushes back against traditional ideas of masculinity and societal expectations, no matter if the characters see themselves as straight or gay. Honestly, I think this film would’ve worked better as a stage play. It’s loaded with dialogue, and at times, I found myself thinking, “Can we just get on with it, please?” More on that later.
Two chimney sweeps, both in committed heterosexual relationships, encounter situations that shake up their views on sexuality and gender roles. One of them has been dreaming about a passionate romance with David Bowie, who makes him feel feminine, while the other has recently had a sexual experience with a male client—an unexpected yet delightful encounter, which turns sour when he confides in his wife. They don’t see themselves as gay, but as time passes, they start to question their identities. The film then shifts focus to how the second guy’s wife reacts to her husband’s infidelity. He tries to handle her intense emotional response to what he considers a minor hiccup, and both are taken aback by the situation. The storyline of the first guy feels a bit scattered and lacks a solid resolution. He tends to fall back on clichés that the film can’t fully explore since he struggles to understand the heteronormative standards he’s critiquing.
The two main characters grapple with their sexual identities and come to terms with their own deviations, reflecting on how these affect their futures. The film also dives into how their self-perceptions evolve due to these events and how their families respond. When one guy shares his experience with his friend, he brushes it off as a one-time thing, nothing serious. But when his wife reacts, he feels crushed because his actions hurt her, and she can’t move past it. They engage in numerous discussions about what this means for them both, which I found intriguing, but it eventually felt excessive. It touches on the idea that “there can be sex without intimacy, intimacy without commitment, and completely un-intimate sex.” The other friend’s storyline seemed a bit random to me, and I just couldn’t connect with it. The Bowie dream keeps coming back in his sleep, but instead of waking up feeling uncomfortable, he starts enjoying the feeling of being seen as a woman. I’ve heard the film carries deeper meanings, especially with its sprawling cityscapes, but honestly, that didn’t resonate with me. I wanted to feel something, and as a film, it just felt average.
