Writer, co-director (with Benjamin Feuer) and star Stephanie Sellars deserves kudos for attempting to infuse some fresh sexual energy into the well-worn modern romance genre. “Lust Life Love” is, by Sellars’ own admission, an autobiographical story centered on VeronicaWillow (Sellars) and her quest to navigate the waters of sexual adventure and freedom, preferring multiple partners of both genders as long as boundaries, physical and emotional, are respected.
Veronica charts her exploits at sex parties and with all forms of “polyamorous” love on her popular blog which has earned her a certain degree of celebrity. She’s a cat person who also works at a shelter though, like most New York set films, it isn’t clear how exactly this role or her blog provides the means to live there. But that’s not this movie’s concern. Even from the start, Veronica seems disenchanted with her “poly” life even as she extolls its rewards on her blog. A threesome with a friendly couple leaves her cold. She tries to persuade her lover Joanne to join her at Chemistry, an ongoing sex party, but this leads to the jealous Joanne angrily breaking up with her. The film refreshingly treats the scenes at Chemistry without prurience; “poly” is depicted as a sincere way for people to explore unconventional sexual relationships.
At one party, Veronica meets newbie Daniel (Jake Choi) and quickly forms an attraction even though Daniel, a realtor and budding chef, is married. Hesitant at first, Daniel is soon eager to explore his own desires and engages in a threesome with Veronica and yoga teacher Maya (Makeda Declet). But Veronica is developing feelings for Daniel, even taking him to suburban Connecticut to meet the parents. This new desire surprises her and makes her uncomfortable. Although the film never wavers from its sex positive position, it begins to sink into a more traditional romance complete with jealous tiffs, sulking and the usual irrational behavior. It doesn’t seem consistent with the spiky Veronica we first met. Sure, Daniel is cute and perhaps his babe-in-toyland status is a turn on but it’s not convincing that he’s enough to make Veronica want an exclusive relationship. But “Lust Life Live" deserves credit for its ambition in examining the nature of sexual attraction and how all three aspects are ultimately and inextricably intertwined.
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