THE OPPOSITE OF SEX

US, 102 minutes, 1998, Colour.
Christina Ricci, Martin Donovan, Lisa Kudrow, Lyle Lovett.
Directed by Don Roos.

Christina Ricci's character in The Opposite of Sex is not exactly endearing. Her voiceover, in fact, tells us she is quite unlikeable and she then proceeds to demonstrate this. This comedy is quite unpredictable. Its tone is sharp, sardonic and often very funny. Its characters seem highly unlikely. Ricci is a pregnant 16 year old who thinks she can control the world and everyone in it who goes to her middle-aged kindly teacher half-brother, steals his boyfriend, alienates his close friend and leads everyone on a merry (and unmerry) dance.

The film makes a great deal out of relationships, betrayal, love and trust and makes the audience look at homosexuality with a wry sympathy. Don Roos has some witty and insightful dialogue. But Ricci proves again what a talented actress she is and there is a surprisingly impressive performance from Lisa Kudrow as a bitter and repressed and interfering teacher. Unusual and unpredictable.

1. A film of the '90s, perspectives, issues, language, sardonic, provocative?

2. The atmosphere of the Louisiana settings, the contrast with Indiana and the campus and the town, LA, on the road, the Canadian forest?

3. The musical score, the range of songs, their comment on the action?

4. The title and its significance, Dedee's final explanation, the lack of commitment, lack of relationships as the opposite of sex? The opposite of sex for the other characters? Each of the characters and their changing perspectives on sexuality and sexual relationships throughout the film?

5. Christina Ritchie and Dedee's narrative? Talking to the audience, taking the audience into her confidence, being smart to the audience, talking about movies and their conventions, making note of the gun, the flashbacks, explanations? Her talking about having no heart and not changing? Her age, her poses, the pregnancy, the clues that she gave? Making the audience part of the complicity of the action - and yet the audience disliking her? Her comments about the others being nice - and losers? The final irony of her comments about not dying in the film? Her final comments to the audience and the atmosphere with which the audience left the theatre?

6. Dedee's story: her relationship with her mother, her mother as her best friend, the violent stepfather, his death, the funeral - her reactions and throwing things, including the furniture, on the grave? Randy and her relationship with him? The comments about his having one ball? His Southern religious fervour? Her decision to go to Indiana? The arrival, the encounter with Matt? Her continually scheming? Telling Bill her story? Her explaining the background of her father, mother, Bill's father? The meeting with Lucia? Her shrewdness, sunbaking and the challenge to Matt about his sexuality? Her sardonic remarks about homosexuals? The relationship, her tricking him, her telling him about the pregnancy? Telling Bill and Lucia? The decision to leave, Matt's stealing the money? Disappearing to California? The effect on Bill and Lucia? The relationship with Matt, marrying him? Their being found, the scene in the restaurant and her anger? The scene? Randy's arrival, the sexual relationship? Matt's reaction? Going on the road with Randy, the bike and the cost, the argument, the shooting - and her comment about not being dead? Matt's arrival, persuading him to support her? The bike, the car? Going to the forest? Her pregnancy? Sending Jason to Bill with the taped message - and her controlling directions, even on the tape? The issue of Tom's ashes and her callous attitude? Her controlling people? The pains, going to the hospital, the detailed presentation of the birth? Her reaction to her child? Going to prison? The irony of the two endings - her dying, her not dying? The baby and its effect on her, not changing? Leaving the baby with Bill? The skill of Christina Ritchie's performance, vocals and voice-over? Lucia referring to her character as the human tabloid?

7. The contrast with Bill? Thirty-five, his relationship with his father? The relationship with Tom, his dying of AIDS? His inheriting Tom's house? The lavatory wall and the boy with the graffiti, his playing with the graffiti? A genuine teacher but soft? Jason and his accusations, the repercussions for the principal of the school, the teachers, students? His doing his garden, ignoring reputation? His relationship with Matt, Matt and the relationship with Dedee, the announcement of the pregnancy? His genuine concern about Dedee and wanting to ring her mother? His love for Bill, his sense of loss? Carl and the arrest? His relationship with Lucia? Her relationship with her brother, her infatuation with Bill and wanting to control his life? Her constant presence, trying to support him? Her voicing reactions against Matt and his ignorance, Dedee and her shrewdness? The TV interviews about homosexuality and the consequences for Bill? The phone call, his decision to go to Los Angeles? Lucia going with him? The search for Matt, the discussions about fate, Lucia seeing his photo in the restaurant? The discussions at the meal, the discovery about the pregnancy and Matt not being the father, his taking responsibility? The walkout? The stakeout of the house? The discovery about Randy? Lucia getting the car numbers? The information about Matt and the shooting of Randy? Jason and his message, going to the forest, Lucia following? Bill and his presence at the birth? His wanting to reconcile with Matt? His love for the baby? The probation officer - and a new relationship?

8. Lucia and the perspective from Dedee's commentary? The flashbacks about her relationship with her sisters, the wedding, her being fat, eating, discovering Tom in the car with his friend? Her name and the pronunciation? Her bitterness - 'from observation'? Her teaching, her reaction to former students and ticking them off, the TV commentator, Jason? Her love for Bill? Her presence in the house? Her dislike of Matt? Thinking him ignorant? Her suspicions of Dedee? Her continuous sardonic remarks? The relationship with Carl, meeting him, taunting him about his relationship with his wife's nurse? The discovery of the truth? Going with Bill to Los Angeles, sharing the restaurant scene, the stakeout, the discovery of Randy's body? The motel and her philosophy of sex - her disdain? Yet the relationship with Carl? Her pregnancy, following Bill to the forest, participating in the birth? Her sending the text books to Dedee? Her own giving birth, relationship with Carl, her change of character?

9. Matt, ingenuous, intelligence not being his greatest quality? The relationship with Bill, living in the house? The taunts from Dedee, the sexual liaison, taking responsibility for the baby? Blurting out the truth? Taking the money, concealing it from Dedee, preparing for the baby? His work in the restaurant, the scene in the restaurant? His standing by Dedee and helping her, allowing himself to be manipulated? Going to the forest, the relationship with Jason, making him happy?

10. Jason, sleazy attitude, the accusations and the blackmail? Lucia's reaction? His withdrawing his accusations? The relationship with Matt, coming with the tape, the delivery of the baby? A future with Matt?

11. Carl, the police, his story, his dead wife? His upholding the law, arresting Bill, Lucia's hostile reactions? Going to Los Angeles, helping out with information? His relationship with the Californian police? The friendship with Lucia, the relationship, the pregnancy?

12. Randy, his relationship with Dedee, his physical defects and his reaction, his easily being angered, his fundamentalist religion? Fathering the child, going to Los Angeles, the relationship, the quarrel with Dedee, his death?

13. The picture of the Indiana schools, the staff, their reaction to Bill? The publicity and the media treatment of Bill?

14. The comments on the religious rite and their attitudes?

15. The theme of homosexuality, the irony of Dedee's remarks, Bill as the sympathetic character? Relationships?

16. Lucia and her comment about being straight, sympathy for relationships, especially Lucia and Carl?

17. The quality of the screenplay, the witty remarks and one-liners? Sardonic American humour? A film of the '90s - attitudes towards individuals, relationships, responsibility? Critique of traditional US morality and hypocrisy?