Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce), Skye (Lara Peake) and Em (Enva Lewis) are best friends embarking on a rite of passage holiday to Greece. It should be the best summer of their lives filled with drinking, clubbing and meeting cute guys, though it quickly turns into anything but.
From debut director Molly Manning Walker comes a thought provoking and raw portrayal of friendship, love and consent. It helps knowing that she also penned the script which had the perfect blend of humor and drama. The whole film was an experience, one that I simply couldn’t tear my gaze away from.
Throughout its entirety, I couldn’t help but feel like I was watching my life unfolding in front of me. This trio of girls were so incredibly realistic; their conversations and the antics they found themselves in during the various nights out was reminiscent of my own memories. When they talked to one another, it seemed more like improv than lines because their chemistry just clicked. It really was like I was watching real life friends. And with friendships at that age comes the highs and lows which were depicted brilliantly.
While everyone gives impressive performances, it is McKenna-Bruce who takes the spotlight. The transformation we see Tara go through is mesmerizing. She perfectly encapsulated the excitement at the beginning of the holiday to when things start to go awry and how she wonders if she really wants to be there at all. When an event happens that changes everything for her, the performance shifted and became heartbreaking.
The topic of consent is an important one. The ambiguous way in which it is handled was smart because it leaves it open for interpretation. Sadly, this is the way in which these situations usually happen. I appreciated that it wasn’t obvious, but that I was never able to forget it.
How To Have Sex completely blew me away. I loved its boldness and the way in which it didn’t shy away from real situations. I commend Manning Walker for her direction and her writing and I am thankful to the cast for telling this story. This is a film that will truly stay with me and I urge you all to watch it.
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
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