The Joy of The End of Sex @TIFF2022

This article is sponsored by AG Group Enterprise Inc.

Director Sean Garrity enters TIFF once again with his new installment The End of Sex with writer-actor Jonas Chernick. This time around sex is funnier than ever. The two who combined for My Awkward Sexual Adventure in 2012 set the stage for Canadian film and humour. Chernick is known for his witty yet cheeky screenplays and again teams up with actress Emily Hampshire. Now they explore the world of sex amongst married couples. With her experience with award-winning Schitt’s Creek, she becomes the dark horse in the film in which she shines brightly.

The End of Sex focuses on Josh, played by Chernick, and his wife Emma, played by Emily Hampshire. The married couple is getting excited about sending their two children away to a one-week winter-break sleepaway camp. They can now put that spark again into their sex lives but can they do it within that week?

As they try numerous methods of getting riled up, we see a hilarious side to a sexless but loving marriage. The humour in this is that it happens to the best of us. We all hit a wall with our partners and sometimes that lasts a lifetime. Even a week for some seems like a lifetime.

The Cast of The End of Sex

What really makes The End of Sex tick is the great ensemble cast that supports Josh Chernick and Emily Hampshire. Lily Gao who plays Josh’s co-worker Kelly is a fun look at a manipulator of sex. She advises him to try new things to get that spark back. There is also Gray Powell who plays Marlo an art gallery curator who tries to get down Emma’s pants. Of course, he has always had a crush on her since high school. Lastly, Emma’s friend Wendy played by Melanie Scrofano becomes involved to boost their marriage.

The dialogue is amusing and there is never a dull moment in this film. It’s fast-paced that literally takes the audience for a fun ride with Josh and Emma when finding a quick solution. May I add there are steamy scenes in the film for us winterized Canadians!

Good on Sean Garrity to follow up on his film My Awkward Sexual Adventure a decade later. Things were much different back then and even the way Canadians looked at sex seemed out of the ordinary and a tad cringy. But with the help of shows like Schitt’s Creek and the success of our industry, Canadians do not have to feel awkward about their sex lives and how we look at sex on film.

The End of Sex is a turning point for Canadian cinema, as we now can ease back and relax because things are not as awkward anymore. The narrative has changed for us. Sex should be always open for conversation, especially in film.