18 Movies in Which Sex Scenes Are Very Important
Viewers of modern cinema are as sanctimonious as ever about sex and sexuality on the big screen. Online discourse often descends into the tedious topic of whether sex scenes are strictly “necessary” to the plot of any given film. I’m far from convinced that films should be so focused on plot that everything extraneous should be thrown into the bin – reducing a Shakespeare play to dialogue that advances the “plot” will force us in and out of the theater. in about 20 minutes.
2023 was a banner year for this discourse, with sex scenes in the films Pretty Boy Afraid , We Are All Strangers , Infinity Pool , Passages and Saltburn traumatizing unwary theatergoers. 2024 gets off to an equally scandalous start with Poor Wretches , a Frankenstein -inspired dark comedy that follows Bella Baxter, a young woman resurrected from suicide who begins a journey of liberation and sexual exploration in Victorian London. Some explicit scenes caused controversy and criticism, especially in the UK , where only a censored version of the film was released.
Putting aside the necessity of sex scenes in films, there are films in which we can draw a direct line between the sex scene and the plot, or in which sex is used to develop character (no pun intended). Take a look at these 18 movies and see if the existence of characters who fuck makes you feel any better.
Boogie Nights (1997)
While the sex isn’t overly explicit, for a film set in the world of 1970s cinematic porn and beyond, it would be downright stupid to skip the sex scenes entirely. One moment in particular comes early in Dirk Diggler/Eddie Adams’ career when he films his first explicit scene with Julianne Moore’s Amber Waves/Maggie. This moment conveys Eddie’s nervousness as well as his sexual charisma, while also making it clear that this is a job for everyone involved. The crew watches as Maggie gently guides her co-star through his first on-screen orgasm. It’s not an overly passionate scene, but it is surprisingly tender.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Okay, sure, the impromptu sex scene in the middle of Brokeback Mountain was clearly choreographed and performed by people with only a vague idea of what sex between two men might look like—as if there weren’t a single gay man in Hollywood who could be consulted . This moment pays off the sexual tension that has built up between Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) from the opening frame. It’s noteworthy that the filmmakers decided to make it clear that sex is a component of the appeal here, beyond the cute stuff.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Oldboy (2003)
Park Chan Wook’s action classic is not for the faint of heart on any level, including the sex scene between Dae Soo (Choi Min Sik) and Mi Do (Kang Hye Jeong). It’s not that this moment in itself is extremely clear, but the revelation of Mi-do’s true identity in the final act of the film is truly shocking in context and caps off a 15-year timeline of revenge and counter-revenge.
Where to watch: Netflix
Bo’s Afraid (2023)
A nearly three-hour journey into the space of a deeply unsettling protagonist (Joaquin Phoenix), Bo’s Afraid was one of the most polarizing films of last year—and probably my favorite of 2023. Many of Bo’s problems stem from vaguely psychosexual behavior. the manipulations of his mother Mona (Patti LuPone), who took pains to describe to young Beau the death of his father during intercourse in excruciating detail. Sexual phobias are not all of Bo’s problems, but they are a key component of his inability to relate to other people. When he finally has sex, at the film’s climax (ahem), it only makes things worse for the guy who can’t catch a break.
Where to watch: Paramount+
Saltburn (2023)
Another of the year’s most talked about films, Saltburn takes The Talented Mr. Ripley to Northamptonshire, England, with mixed results. Scholarship student Oliver (Barry Keoghan) pursued Felix (Jacob Elordi) from Oxford all the way to his ancestral home, only for Oliver to discover (*major spoilers coming*) that his plans to join the elite crowd are in tatters. murder must be included. His dreams of sex with Felix are gone (literally) and Oliver fucks Felix’s fresh grave instead. Of course, this scene is designed for shock value, but it also makes it clear that Oliver’s machinations at this point were never purely strategic, and that his passion/obsession with Felix was very real.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Terminator (1984)
The love scene between Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) isn’t particularly hot or explicit, but it’s important to the film and the franchise as a whole. Without sex on the run between them, John Connor would never be born to save humanity, and he wouldn’t be able to send Kyle Reese back in time to train Sarah. Very timely. This moment makes possible not only the great Terminator 2 , but also a series of largely forgotten sequels, so it’s not all good news for humanity.
Where to stream: Max
Atonement (2007)
The film “Atonement” takes place over almost a lifetime. Briony (Saoirse Ronan) witnesses slightly rough sex between her sister Cecily (Keira Knightley) and the housekeeper’s son Robbie (James McAvoy). Jealous and confused, the young heiress mistakes what she saw for rape, clouding her judgment when she accuses Robbie after an actual sexual assault occurs soon after. Briony’s accusations set off a cascade of events that blight the lives of those around her, allowing the real attacker to go free. As the film’s title suggests, Briony spends most of her life trying to correct her mistake.
Where to watch: digital rental.
The Shape of Water (2017)
Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy novel tells the story of the love between a deaf guardian and the mysterious fish-man with whom she forms a bond. From this premise, del Toro creates an instant classic that earned him Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. When Eliza (Sally Hawkins) makes love to her amphibian companion (Doug Jones), it’s in a fully submerged bathtub, where an explosive release of water replaces a more traditional climax. Later, Eliza explains the mechanics of this event to a friend – all of which helps to understand that this love story is both emotional and sensual, and not just the chaste romance of a Disney movie about mermaids.
Where to stream: FXNow
Gerald’s Game (2017)
There’s no major spoiler here, as the inciting incident occurs within the first 10 minutes of this Stephen King adaptation: Jesse and Gerald Burlingame (Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood) arrive at an isolated lake house, where Gerald attempts to engage in a rape fantasy. that Jesse is deeply uncomfortable with. The interaction makes clear the rift in their marriage, but before Gerald can go any further, they have an argument during which he has a heart attack and dies… leaving her handcuffed to the bed and completely isolated. Stephen King-style shenanigans follow. The beginning is more disturbing than revealing, but without it the film would not work.
Where to watch: Netflix
In the kingdom of feelings (1976)
Nagisa Oshima’s superb feature film sparked much controversy upon its release, largely because of its very realistic sex scenes – realistic because most of them were not simulated. It is based on the true story of Sada Abe (Eiko Matsuda), a former sex worker who begins an obsessive affair with a patron (Tatsuya Fuji) of the hotel where she works. Sada Abe’s refusal to conform to society’s expectations of her gender and class does not make her a hero, but it does give her a strange freedom. The influence comes partly from the film’s refusal to underplay Sada Abe’s sexual power: sex is an important part of her story, in the film and in real life, and Oshima isn’t afraid to show rather than just tell.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Analyzing any David Lynch film immediately points us to the problem of determining whether a sex scene is “essential to the plot,” since figuring out the plot is itself a gimmick. “Mulholland Drive” is a little more accessible than most of his work, following “Rita” (Laura Herring), an actress suffering from amnesia after a car accident in Los Angeles who stumbles upon a healthy Midwestern transplant (Naomi Watts) who is determined to become a star. . The two set out to reveal Rita’s true identity before having undeniably hot sex. I’m not sure to what extent this affects the plot, but the sex scene represents a liminal moment between two characters, each with multiple potential identities – in those few moments the characters connect with such intimacy that questions of identity are left unbroken. has at least some meaning.
Where to watch: digital rental.
And that mother too (2001)
In the climax (ahem) of Alfonso Cuarón’s classic Mexican road trip, the main characters (Luisa, Julio and Tenoch) engage in a rather sweet threesome. The trio circle each other, emotionally and physically, throughout the film, and this moment briefly flips the script on their apparent love triangle, suggesting the possibility that none of them will have to choose.
Where to stream: AMC+
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Forget the orgy; instead, let’s focus on the earlier sex scene between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman that formed the basis of the controversial teaser trailer (a real tongue-in-cheek in those days when no one knew what the movie was going to be about). She’s mostly focused on looking at herself in the mirror, and while the scene builds toward something sweaty, it’s the lack of connection between them that we feel most. In the context of the film, this episode makes it clear that this marriage is already in the process of breaking down.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Don’t Look Now (1973)
Nicolas Roeg’s gripping thriller features one of the most notorious sex scenes in film history, infamous in part because of rumors (still widespread and disputed) that the intimate encounter between Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland was not simulated. Whether there is any truth to this or not, it certainly speaks to the authenticity of the moment, which is hardly gratuitous: the film is about a couple broken by the death of their only child, and the sex scene is a major emotional turning point: a moment of clear connection right before as things get worse.
Where to watch: Pluto TV.
It Follows (2015)
There’s more to It Follows than just one thing, but there’s certainly an air of tension around young sexuality and its potential consequences, both physical and emotional. Fear of sexually transmitted infections is certainly one lens through which to view the film’s terrifying conceit – a curse that literally haunts the characters until their death, unless and until they choose to pass it on to someone else through sex.
Where to watch: Netflix
Ecstasy (1933)
As the title of this Hedy Lamar film suggests, our themes are sexual and romantic passion. Lamar (credited as Hedy Keesler) plays Eve, a woman in a loveless and passionless (at least on her part) marriage to a wealthy older man. Swimming in the nude attracts the attention of Adam (Aribert Mog), with whom she soon begins an affair. The love scene, eschewing the bare flesh found elsewhere in the film, focuses almost entirely on Eve’s face and shows us that she is finally experiencing the passion that was missing in her marriage. Besides being central to the film’s plot and themes, it was also shockingly ahead of its time in its emphasis on female sexuality.
Where to stream: YouTube
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
Martin Scorsese’s oft-banned portrait of Christ’s last days (Willem Dafoe) angered many people with its hallucinatory sex scene between Jesus and Mary Magdalene (Barbara Hershey). The scene itself isn’t even PG-13, but the idea sent scolders into apoplexy and firebombed fanatics into theaters. Not surprisingly, they completely missed the point: in context, this scene is part of Satan’s plot – the main final temptation. He shows Jesus what his reward could have been if he had turned his back on humanity: a long and normal life instead of a painful death on the cross. This moment of lovemaking is central to the episode and helps clarify all that he sacrifices for humanity.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Mandarin (2015)
Sean Baker’s brilliant, low-budget comedy-drama follows the Christmas Eve lives of trans sex workers Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) and Alexandra (Mia Taylor). The sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking film has a gritty realism that wouldn’t be the same if it didn’t give us insight into their working lives. In the central scene, Alexandra takes refuge from a bad day in the car of a taxi driver. He’s happy to give her a blowjob while they wash the car, and she’s happy to earn a few extra dollars from a friendly and trustworthy customer. As for the car wash blowjob, it’s really cute, but at the same time makes it clear that sex workers have good and bad days at work too.
Where to watch: digital rental.