Young People Fucking

It’s a shame that certain viewers will be scared away from Young People Fucking based entirely on its title, which is understandable, given that it sounds like yet another sleazy, Larry Clarkesque exercise in depravation, as the movie is generally a fast-paced and very funny look at contemporary relationships. Set over the course of one particularly hectic evening, the film follows a series of couples as they attempt to define (and redefine) their respective relationships (and yes, sex is involved). Director and co-writer Martin Gero has infused Young People Fucking with a lighthearted, breezy sensibility that initially proves impossible to resist; the various actors effectively bring their sharply-defined characters to life, and Gero and Aaron Abrams’ script does possess a number of palpable truths. That the filmmaker isn’t quite able to sustain the energy and pace of the movie’s opening hour is lamentable (if somewhat expected), and there’s ultimately no denying that the whole thing never quite adds up to much. Still, Young People Fucking mostly comes off as a fun diversion that’s certainly a welcome respite from the festival’s predominantly dark, depressing fare (and c’mon, how could one not get a kick out of a film that so memorably name-drops former Beverly Hills, 90210 star Ian Ziering?)

**1/2 out of ****