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    Movie Review

    Sex Appeal looks for actual chemistry in teen sex comedy genre

    Alex Bentley
    Jan 12, 2022 | 9:25 am
    Sex Appeal looks for actual chemistry in teen sex comedy genre
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    While the genre of teen sex comedies has been around since the 1980s, making the characters in those films actually respect themselves and the objects of their lust affection is a relatively new phenomenon. It’s no small coincidence that some of the recent successes in that regard, including Blockers, Booksmart, and Yes, God, Yes, are ones where women take the lead both on-screen and off.

    While not as polished as those films, the new Hulu film Sex Appeal has much the same goal. Its lead is high school senior Avery Henson-White (Mika Abdalla), who brings a scientific and perfectionist mind to everything in her life, even sex. With an almost singular focus on academics and getting into M.I.T., Avery has no time for relationships, and she wears her status as a virgin not so much as a badge of honor, but with blasé indifference.

    But when Stemcon, an academic competition for which she is the reigning champion, calls for contestants to create an app that solves a problem in their personal lives, the best she can come up with is one that would make having sex for the first time less awkward. She enlists longtime friend Larson (Jake Short) to help her with “experiments” so that she has firsthand knowledge of things that she has never experienced.

    Directed by Talia Osteen and written by Tate Hanyok, the film walks a fine line in terms of how explicit it gets. When it comes to dialogue, the sky is the limit, with Avery and her fellow students unafraid to talk openly about everything they know – or don’t know – about sex. To say that Avery is repressed would be a misstatement. She has no problem talking about sex; the problem is that she has no sense of the appropriate time or place to bring it up, much to the chagrin of Larson, who has a crush on another student.

    But the filmmakers draw the line at actually showing anything graphic. Any moments between Avery and Larson that go beyond kissing are represented by fantasy sequences that explain every movement without showing it, making the scenes both funnier and somehow more vivid in the process. The closest the film comes to nudity is showing Avery in her bra and a funny scene where her head blocks out an adult film on a TV behind her, which seems appropriate since the film is dealing with teenagers.

    In spite of the film’s strengths, Osteen and Hanyok struggle a bit with their characterization. The film remains heightened throughout, with few characters acting like real-life people. There’s a difference between a scene being funny because of something organic that happens, and filmmakers trying to force the humor with characters acting like caricatures. This film never crosses the line between broad comedy and relatable comedy.

    Abdalla, who grew up in Plano and has a growing filmography, inhabits the role well. She has the charm and intelligence the role requires without coming across as false. Short has the personality that fits his part, but he doesn’t elevate it at all. Fortune Feimster and Margaret Cho play Avery’s two mothers, but the progressive pairing doesn’t add much to the film as a whole. The best supporting character is one played by Paris Jackson (yes, Michael’s daughter), who comes off as extremely confident and charismatic.

    Sex Appeal is the latest film to honor the female perspective when it comes to sexuality, although it’s ultimately merely a pleasant watch instead of one that inspires repeat viewings. With its nice balance in addressing teenage sex issues, it should be welcomed by its target audience.

    ---

    Sex Appeal debuts on Hulu on January 14.

    Mika Abdalla in Sex Appeal.

    Mika Abdalla in Sex Appeal
    Photo by Brett Roedel/Hulu
    Mika Abdalla in Sex Appeal.
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    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Popular Dallas lounge makes a comeback in this week's top 5 stories

    CultureMap Staff
    Aug 9, 2025 | 10:00 am
    Jettison
    Jettison
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    Editor's note: The top Dallas news of the week begins with a bar's big comeback. Plus, two restaurant openings on the horizon and a look ahead to the 2025 State Fair. Get the details on our most popular stories below, then visit our event planner to fill your weekend agenda.

    1. West Dallas lounge Jettison revives with cocktails and chef dinners. A popular West Dallas cocktail lounge is back in business. Jettison, the intimate bar located in the Sylvan Thirty complex, has come back to life with a new vibe.

    2. New York Stock Exchange Texas chooses Dallas address for headquarters. A location has been chosen for the New York Stock Exchange Texas. The NYSE Texas has leased 28,000 square feet of space at Old Parkland, the hospital-turned office space in Oak Lawn.

    3. State Fair of Texas unveils new entertainment attractions for 2025. The 2025 State Fair of Texas has unveiled a lineup of free entertainment offerings, including hundreds of activities spread throughout the fairgrounds. Beyond staples such as the Texas Auto Show, live music, and educational exhibits, this year's schedule has new offerings.

    Big Tex at the State Fair The State Fair of Texas entertainment lineup is out. Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

    4. Dallas restaurant veteran to debut new upscale Centrale Italia pizza. An upscale-casual Italian restaurant from a Dallas heavy-hitter is coming this fall. Called Centralé Italia, it's a brand-new concept from veteran restaurateur Patrick Colombo, owner and CEO of Dallas-based hospitality group Restaurant Works.

    5. Familiar team to open Bagel Bros. bagel shop by White Rock Lake Dallas. There's a new bagel shop coming to East Dallas from a veteran team. Called Bagel Bros., it'll open at 9219 Garland Rd. #1102, in the former Urban Vines Bistro space which closed in 2024.

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