My Year Without Sex (2009)

92% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
45% of users liked it
(356 ratings)

A loving couple finds their lives turned upside down when one of them is diagnosed with a medical condition that will prevent them from having sex for an entire year. Coping with spirited children, a tight family budget, and job insecurity are common challenges for your typical parent; for Natalie… More A loving couple finds their lives turned upside down when one of them is diagnosed with a medical condition that will prevent them from having sex for an entire year. Coping with spirited children, a tight family budget, and job insecurity are common challenges for your typical parent; for Natalie and Ross, things are about to get a little more complicated. When Natalie's doctors advise her to abstain from sex for 12 long months, the temptations of consumer society seem to intensify tenfold. Now, in a world where sex sells and everyone is desperate to be desired, this passionate young couple discovers just how intense things can get when the most natural form of stress relief is no longer an option. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Sarah Watt
Genres: Comedy, Drama

In Theaters: Feb 19, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Jul 13, 2010
Studio: Strand Releasing

Critic Reviews

David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...a well-meaning yet consistently underwhelming domestic drama that rarely packs the emotional punch that Watt has obviously intended.
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
Testing a family for breaking points within a comic framework is not exactly new territory, but Watt's scripting is sharp and she plays fast and loose with audience expectation in the cliche department.
Andrew L. Urban, Urban Cinefile
We get to care for the characters, but would like to have understood them better.
Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
A gem of a film: a wonderfully observed snapshot that canvasses the emotional pulse of a family in the suburbs. It's the slant with which Watt affectionately embraces her characters that make it so engaging.
Anders Wotzke, Moviedex
A delightfully modest film that overcomes its narrative lulls with authentically crafted characters and astute observations of everyday life.
Julie Rigg, MovieTime, ABC Radio National
[Watt] is a a filmmaker to treasure.
Paul Byrnes, Sydney Morning Herald
A year without sex is actually one of the lesser challenges that Watt tackles, with stout heart and a rich instinct for human comedy.
Jake Wilson, The Age (Australia)
Watt strives to cram a great deal into a small space, but her special triumph is that the strain never shows. My Year Without Sex stands as the most accomplished Australian film so far this year.
Leigh Paatsch, Herald Sun (Australia)
While there are occasions where the film appears to be going nowhere in particular, the undeniable believability of the characters makes the wait for a return to relevance simply whiz by.
Annette Basile, FILMINK (Australia)
While My Year Without Sex tackles life and potential death issues head on, it is, put simply, bloody funny.
Margaret Pomeranz, At the Movies (Australia)
There's a lovely assurance to Sarah Watt's screenplay and direction, she knows her characters well and her affection shows.
Michael Adams, Empire Magazine Australasia
Funny, moving, tense and entertaining, it's a strong follow-up to the sublime Look Both Ways.
Shannon J. Harvey, Sunday Times (Australia)
It's [the] honest, natural performances and the way most average Aussies will relate to their sorry situation that makes My Year Without Sex all worth it.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

Good portrayal of a year in the life of a typical suburban Australian family as they deal with the aftermath of the mother's aneurysm. The husband does seem a little too young for her and doesn't quite convince, and there's something not quite right here, but on the… More
Good portrayal of a year in the life of a typical suburban Australian family as they deal with the aftermath of the mother's aneurysm. The husband does seem a little too young for her and doesn't quite convince, and there's something not quite right here, but on the whole, pretty good.
Dean M

This Aussie comedy-drama film comes from director-writer Sarah Watt's idea because she has fought cancer, and her ability to combine dry humour with turbulent humanity remains impressive. While her quotient of subtle reflections upon everyday concerns - and it's really… More
This Aussie comedy-drama film comes from director-writer Sarah Watt's idea because she has fought cancer, and her ability to combine dry humour with turbulent humanity remains impressive. While her quotient of subtle reflections upon everyday concerns - and it's really everything, from materialism and sexualisation of kids to search for God - has increased, this pulls back on the laugh-out-loud levity of <i>Look Both Ways</i>. As such, the trials and tribulations on screen can be a bit too much like real life. Sacha Horler and Matt Day made fantastic chemistry as the married couple of two children.
Panta O

Australian comedy with everyday story which brings all the characters close to the audience... life questions, big and small, can be overwhelming for most of us... and the movie gives the answers of this tipical suburban family on screen to be seen, laught and maybe remembered in the… More
Australian comedy with everyday story which brings all the characters close to the audience... life questions, big and small, can be overwhelming for most of us... and the movie gives the answers of this tipical suburban family on screen to be seen, laught and maybe remembered in the future. Cute movie to watch!