Release: Sexual Paradise

 

Sexual Paradise

Genre: Drama/Comedy

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Zendaya, Victoria Pedretti, Alex Wolff, KJ Apa, Edward Norton, Heather Graham, Sierra McCormick, Waris Ahluwalia

Budget: $36,000,000

Domestic Box Office: $17,209,005

Foreign Box Office: $9,567,532

Total Profit: -$33,000,001

Reaction: This one unfortunately failed to reach the success of the last collaboration between Anderson and Jones (Season 30's The Scam of Success) despite hot young talent like Zendaya, Apa, and Pedretti.

"Sexual Paradise never feels like a story that meshes with Wes Anderson's style. Tonally, the story is all over the map in all the wrong ways. Writer Jacob Jones' script is earnest when it should be biting, missing out on any humor in his own script. The story doesn't give you anyone to root for as all of the characters come across as self-righteous or hateful." - Dave Manning, Ridgefield Press

"Wes Anderson steps out of his creative rut with a unique take on toxic masculinity, showcasing his signature style. However, pacing issues and an overly tidy ending—complete with an out-of-place flashback—undermine the film’s potential, leaving it frustratingly unsatisfying." - Jason Helm, New York Observer

"While it’s refreshing to see Wes Anderson explore other types of stories other than his usual bag of tricks (that more than started to feel stale), the film falters under a muddled story that feels like it goes nowhere, tonal inconsistencies, and a contrived ending. Despite a talented cast, including an underutilized Zendaya, the story never reaches the potential it hints at, leaving it feeling like a missed opportunity." - Samuel O'Brien, Sight and Sound Magazine

Rated R for strong language, sexual content, thematic material, and some violence.