nightlydvdreviewA Complete History of My Sexual Failures
March 24th 2010 02:37
Chris Waitt: endearingly daggy star and creator
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures charts the cringe-worthy odyssey of its brave and unashamed British creator Chris Waitt, who is determined to fix his hapless love life.
At the outset, thirty-something filmmaker Waitt declares his mission; to interview his many ex-girlfriends in order to pinpoint the cause of his seemingly inherent inability to build, and then keep, any lasting relationship with a woman.
In the interviews that follow, Waitt is hilariously shot down by his ex-lovers, who harshly and unforgivingly expose his character flaws as well as the unfortunate parts of their bygone periods of intimacy. Forever unreliable and jobless, it’s not hard to see why the film’s endearingly daggy protagonist can’t keep a steady relationship.
Throughout these vastly entertaining reunions, there are moments of excruciating embarrassment and extreme awkwardness for the stubbornly persistent Waitt, which will have audiences either squirming or laughing out loud - or both. Yet, these interviews that have been arranged and set up by Waitt also beg the question of whether or not they are merely that: staged skits.
In the film, we are shown old photographs of Waitt with girlfriends and old love letters. We’re even given motherly anecdotal accounts, all of which supposedly anchor the film’s underlying veracity. However, the question of just how much is actually real may linger in the audience’s mind throughout.
Unfortunately, the film hits a wall midway through and Chris Waitt has very few paths to take except down. The initial embarrassment thrown Waitt’s way by his ex’s is replaced by self-degradation, with a visit to a dominatrix and a Viagra overdose. This increasingly rehearsed nature of the film is disappointing, but Waitt’s courage to turn the camera on his own life proves to be a funny and worthwhile experience.
3 STARS
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