Better Than Sex (2000)

47% of critics liked it
(34 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(3,754 ratings)

Somewhere in Sydney, Josh (David Wenham) and Cin (Susie Porter) meet at a party one night. They share a cab ride afterward, and Cin invites Josh up to her apartment, where she works as a dressmaker. Josh is a wildlife photographer based in London, and he is scheduled to return there in three days to… More Somewhere in Sydney, Josh (David Wenham) and Cin (Susie Porter) meet at a party one night. They share a cab ride afterward, and Cin invites Josh up to her apartment, where she works as a dressmaker. Josh is a wildlife photographer based in London, and he is scheduled to return there in three days to continue some assignments for National Geographic. Although he thinks that his one-night stand with Cin will be pleasantly uncomplicated, he is forced to reconsider this initial assessment after their planned night together blossoms into a three-day whoopee fest. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 21 min.
Directed By: Jonathan Teplitzky
Written By: Jonathan Teplitzky
Genres: Drama, Romance, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 1, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Jul 29, 2003
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Critic Reviews

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
With remarkable grace, [Teplitzky's] actors balance the competing demands of candor and whimsy, and the result, while not unforgettable, is charming.
Jay Carr, Boston Globe
Runs out of impulse and falls back on glibness.
Charles Taylor, Salon.com
It could be funnier, sharper, more probing, but at its best it is sexy, and that's always something to celebrate.
Louis B. Parks, Houston Chronicle
The director and actors get away with this fluff thanks to the nimble, whimsical way it's played.
Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News
Continues for 84 minutes, short for a feature but too long for a commercial. And Mr. Teplitzky lacks the big-screen savvy to fill the surplus footage.
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
Demonstrates why sex rarely makes a good spectator sport.
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
A paper-thin script that is by turns fatuous and emotionally fraudulent.
Ted Murphy, Murphy's Movie Reviews
The bulk of the film rests squarely on its leads and both Porter and Wenham are winning and appealing.
Eli Sanders, Seattle Times
At times, Better Than Sex feels like Last Tango in Paris, with all the grunting and animalistic behavior but none of the raison d'etre.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
Absurdly threadbare.....Supposed to be darling, of course, but it's mostly a stream of flat, pedestrian or nauseatingly cute talk.

Read all 10 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jens S

The story of a one night stand turning into love. Rather amusing erotic comedy with a few very very true observations about sex, orgasms, boys and girls and how long it takes females to get ready to go out.
Mark A

A surprisingly good film that looks at the nature of intimacy between two people who have just met. Josh (David Wenham) is a nature photographer, visiting from England where he lives, who winds up in bed with Cin,(Susie Porter) who occasionally creates wedding dresses. They meet at a… More
A surprisingly good film that looks at the nature of intimacy between two people who have just met. Josh (David Wenham) is a nature photographer, visiting from England where he lives, who winds up in bed with Cin,(Susie Porter) who occasionally creates wedding dresses. They meet at a party and spend the next few days getting to know one another and beginning to share their thoughts and hopes and dreams and their past with one another. Over the course of time, we see them begin to really care about each other. The dialog is unforced and feels so natural, even when, documentary style, the characters are shown speaking to the camera. Rather than distracting, this viewer found the technique to be quite revealing and allowed the viewer to delve into their thought processes. It worked on every level for me. One begins to care deeply for the characters and where they are heading. Beautiful cinematography, a terrific set design and supporting characters who actually support the main story added up to one entertaining film with something to say, and that says it clearly. These are real people dealing with intimacy in an interesting way.
Daisy M

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i29.tinypic.com/ixguwl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> This movie was simple in plot line. An one-night stand that was… More
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i29.tinypic.com/ixguwl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> This movie was simple in plot line. An one-night stand that was expected to end, managed to build the characters with a mixture of feelings and sexual progression. It gave the feeling that it was a stage play. It had a few amusing weird scenes. I guess it was no blockbuster, but it was well-acted, well photographed, well scripted, and an interesting ending, and was warming, while succeeding in making you see the characters without seeing their appearance. Not bad.