Sleeping with Other People

IFC Films

The subject of sex addiction is a new one, at least in indie filmmaking, and it was terribly explored in the 2012 film "Thanks for Sharing." With a much funnier cast assembled, and a solid screenplay to boot, the romantic coupling of Jason Suidekis and Alison Brie is one of the best in recent years. Much of the film's success is owed to writer and director Leslye Headland, who also helmed the 2012 comedy "Bachelorette." The film is produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, who have been taking more chances on obscure indie comedies. Though this isn't the best rom-com of last year it has flawless chemistry between its leads and includes bawdy humor that impresses and intrigues.

 The film starts in much the same way as "When Harry Met Sally," with Lainey (Brie) meeting Jake (Sudeikis) in a dorm hallway, where Lainey is pounding on someone’s door. It turns out that she is trying to find her TA (Scott) to lose her virginity to. Jake and Lainey end up having  one night stand, and don't see each other until they meet at a Love Addicts group in New York. Not wanting to risk any new relationships on having a sexual fling, they become platonic friends who give each other advice on their dating lives. Lainey apparently did meet up with that TA, and he is now a married man with a baby on the way. Jake is newly obsessed with his current boss, played by Amanda Peet. The problems of the characters aren't anything new, but their chemistry and constant support of one another make the film both introspective and endearingly funny.

 Like in "Thanks for Sharing," sex addiction doesn't actually get explored as well as it could. In that film we follow three different couples all grappling with sex addiction, and each story isn’t given enough time to be explored, which makes the film meandering and needless. This film kind of peters out on its main theme (though it's about love addiction not sex addiction) immediately, in order to explore the characters  and really focus on their relationship rather than making this a social issue film. Love addiction doesn't seem like it makes sense as the film's major theme, because Jake doesn't seem to love anyone but himself, and Lainey cheats on her only love interest.

The film stresses that these two people have not had any healthy relationships since their one night stand thirteen years prior. While it's admirable to include love, or sex addiction, as your theme, it's not needed here. These two people are complex and funny without the need for adding contemporary themes and complicating the plot.