Sex, Politics & Cocktails (2002)

0% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
32% of users liked it
(138 ratings)

A straight man gets a life-changing eyeful when he takes a close-up look at the lives of gay men in this independent comedy. At the age of thirty, Cuban-American Sebastian Cortez (Julien Hernandez) has the feeling his life is going nowhere -- he can't get work as a filmmaker, his relationship with… More A straight man gets a life-changing eyeful when he takes a close-up look at the lives of gay men in this independent comedy. At the age of thirty, Cuban-American Sebastian Cortez (Julien Hernandez) has the feeling his life is going nowhere -- he can't get work as a filmmaker, his relationship with his Prozac-addled girlfriend has resulted in an engagement that isn't leading either of them to the altar, and in his heart he knows he's never really been in love. One day, Sebastian thinks his luck has changed when he's offered a job directing a series of documentaries, only to discover they're all about relationship issues in the gay community. Figuring he needs a crash course in the queer lifestyle, Sebastian calls on his friend Daria (Marisa Petroro), who has no small number of gay acquaintances. As Daria leads Sebastian through a series of cocktail parties with her more flamboyant gay pals, Sebastian quickly finds out more about gay culture than he ever suspected was there, but he also finds himself pondering if the reason he can't find love is he's been looking in the wrong gender. Sex, Politics & Cocktails was the first feature film from writer, director, and actor Julien Hernandez. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Julien Hernandez, Juien Hernandez
Written By: Julien Hernandez
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 30, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Aug 30, 2005
Studio: Regent Releasing

Critic Reviews

Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Julien Hernandez's micro-budgeted, gay-themed vanity project Sex, Politics & Cocktails gives all three a bad name.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Enthusiastic performances help, but without a logical script or confident direction, the fizz very quickly goes flat.
Dana Stevens, New York Times
Structurally, Sex, Politics and Cocktails is wildly, almost frantically inventive ... But no amount of directorial trickery can mask the essential vacuousness of the story and its characters.
Matt Singer, Village Voice
Comparing Sex to a student film is an insult to the American education system; even film students can make title cards without typos.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Utterly inept.
Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Reader
Less a narrative than a haphazard succession of vignettes populated by crude stereotypes instead of credible characters.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
We've seen this before. A lot.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
It treads such well-worn ground that you can't help but want a little more substance.
Chuck Wilson, L.A. Weekly
This peculiar little comedy, shot on digital video, gets points for editorial pizzazz, but earns a big zero for content.
Kim Williamson, Boxoffice Magazine
Hernandez seems not to realize that a movie is supposed to sum to something.
Jon Popick, Planet Sick-Boy
A jumpy and occasionally unfocused feature made likable by a charismatic lead.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Cast

            Julien Hernandez as Sebastian

            Marisa Petroro as Daria

            Seth Macari as Michael

            Alex Douglas as Paulie

            Don Max as Dante

            Dave Emerson as Guy

            Paul Lekakis as Nick (aka Mr. Bang Bang)

            Lonnie Simpson as Rex

            Hunter F. Roberts as Jeff

            Gina Vetro as Veronica

            Jonathan Zenz as Pascal

            Devon Michael Jones as Blaire Edgewood

            Lonnie Henderson as Billy

            Ron Doyle as Mr. Miller

            Barry Ashley as Old Sebastian

            Ken Barrow as Old Billy

            Tim Seltzer as Rod

            Mick Page as Luis

            Christine Reagan as Makeup Artist

            Jimmy Steele as Cheater Boy

            D.J. McGill as Bar Waiter

            Robert John as Gossip Boy #1

            Michael Reiner as Gossip Boy #2

            Judith Dexter as Posh Waitress

            Richard Taylor as Posh Waiter

            Barry Parker as Old Queen

            Darrin Ramirez as Party Guest

            Diane Hanamoto as Party Guest

            Mark Cirillo as Mickey Miata

            Juien Hernandez
            
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