(Review originally written at 19 February 2008)
This is a pretty crazy comedy, divided in 7 segments, all concentrating on different aspects of sex. It's a completely silly, over-the-top done comedy, made in about the same comical style as the early Mel Brooks films. This means that the movie is filled with some crazy characters, hilarious crazy situations and fast jokes, also with its dialog. It's perhaps Allen's most comedy like comedy.
The title might make the movie sound as if it has some educational value but let me tell you, it has none. The situations and characters as portrayed in this movie are way over-the-top for that and basically the only thing the movie offers is some fun entertainment. For instance, one segment is about a giant breast that's on the loose and on a killing spree. Another segment is about a doctor who falls in love with a sheep. This sort of tells you how this movie is like.
Because the movie is divided in 7 totally different segments, the movie has both some great moments and just not as great moments. But anyway, none of the segments are long enough to make you go bored or loose interest just because you don't like one of the segments. And besides, every segments has its fun and at times completely hilarious moments in it to really make you laugh.
Most of the movie is done in one and the same style but some of the segments really differ from the others, such as the Italian segment called 'Do Some Women Have Trouble Reaching Orgasm?'. This perhaps doesn't really make "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask" one of the most consistent movies ever made but I for one don't really mind that all segments differ somewhat from each other. As a matter of fact, while watching this movie I was wondering if the movie wouldn't actually had been an even better one if each segment was being directed by a totally different director, each with their own personal style and approach.
Lot of fine actors show up in this movie. Allen himself plays 4 different roles in 4 of the segments and not always in the lead role. He however lets others play the main role in the others, which works out fine. I think it would had made the movie all the more incoherent when Allen would had played the main lead in all of the different segments. Other actors that really draw your attention in this movie, also because you just don't expect them to see in this movie and in the roles they play (such as Burt Reynolds) are Gene Wilder as the doctor who falls for a sheep and also John Carradine in a crazy scientist role, also no doubt as a fun homage to his horror movies past, from mostly the '40's.
A movie you just have to enjoy.
8/10
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