I Want Your Sex (2026)

The first time I saw Magaret Cho play law enforcement was way back in 1997, in John Woo’s, Face/Off.

At the time, I didn’t recognize her. I only found out several days later when Cho’s role as Special Agent Wanda Chang came up in conversation.

She was really funny. But I didn’t recognize her, probably because her role was so different from her standup material and probably because Face/Off was such a bonkers and engrossing movie. I somehow also failed to recognize Colm Feore, CCH Pounder and Thomas Jane.

The second time I saw Margaret Cho play law enforcement was actually just last weekend in Gregg Araki’s, I Want Your Sex. Once again, I failed to recognize her, and many other celebrities in the cast, until the credits were rolling.

This time, Cho has a much larger role. She plays ‘Detective Zola’ who spends much of the movie interrogating a hapless 20-something named Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) who is suspected of foul play.

I Want Your Sex is mostly a comedy, but Cho doesn’t play Detective Zola for laughs. You feel pretty worried for poor Elliot as he recounts an unbelievable story to two humorless police officers. The other one, Detective Zem, is played by Johnny Knoxville, who I didn’t recognize either, even though I saw him on screen less than a month ago in Jackass: Best and Last.

The take away here, is that I Want Your Sex is actually quite a good movie. It’s funny, provocative and somehow manages to constantly switch the tone from superficial to serious, without turning into a mess.

The Plot: Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) is an unemployed, gormless young man behind on rent. His roommate and best friend, Apple (Chase Sui Wonders) is running out of money and patience, So Elliot applies to be attendant at an art gallery owned by matronly enfant terrible, Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde).

Hired, Elliot’s first job is assisting with color and texture on one of Erika’s artworks. In plainer English, Elliot is part of a 15-person labor force who constantly chew wads of bubble gum and use them to decorate a coloring book-style diagram of a vagina the size of a door.

Elliot’s second job is being Erika’s submissive sex partner. How does that transpire?

Erika calls him into the office and begins what sounds like a negative performance review, then she orders him to help her move some heavy furniture into her apartment and then she makes him her bondage pig. The latter duty soon becomes the bulk of Elliot’s full time work week.

Elliot’s not complaining, he loves this job. Not only is it the best sex he’s ever had, but for the first time in his life he feels loved and important.

Every night he comes home with tales of sexual adventure to share with Apple. These entertain her, but also make her sad because she longs for sexual exploration and has no idea how to go about it.

One day, Erika Demands Elliot set up a threesome with ‘one of his friend’s, someone hot.” So he asks Apple if she’d like to be the third. Poor Apple says yes without really understanding what she’s getting into.

The resulting misadventure is hilarious, but also kind of sad as it does permanent harm to Elliot and Apple’s friendship. It also puts Elliot on a downward spiral that ultimately lands in a police station.

The performances in this movie are fantastic. Cooper Hoffman is likeable and believable as the young protagonist having the time of his life but who is also in way over his head.

Olivia Wilde is amazing as an aggressive, hyper-dominant art star who gets a rush out of breaking taboos, breaking the law, breaking hearts and finding ever more creative ways to humiliate her subs. Is it an Oscar worthy performance? Perhaps. It’s a very impressive contrast to the role Wilde plays in The Invite.

Speaking of Contrast, Daveed Diggs is very good as Vikktor, Erika’s effete, scheming, business manager and ex-lover. It’s world’s away from the role he played in Velvet Buzzsaw even though I Want Your Sex takes place in a very similar environment. Praise must also go to Charli XCX as Minerva, Elliot’s girlfriend. Yes, Elliot starts his ‘employment’ with Erika while having a girlfriend, but right from the start, there’s obviously something very wrong with that relationship, the only question is, what? In most of her movies, Charli XCX plays someone very open about who she is and what she wants. Minerva is so secretive, passive aggressive and bitter that Charli XCX became yet another actor I didn’t recognize until this movie was over.

I Want Your Sex was directed and co-written by Gregg Araki, a filmmaker who rose to fame on indie films from the 90s and aughts that were extremely daring for the time, particularly, The Living End and Mysterious Skin.

A lot of critics have given I Want Your Sex positive but condescending reviews. Many feel that compared to Araki’s earlier work, this film is commercial, disposable and goofy. To be fair, the movie does take its title from a very goofy 80s song.

But it wouldn’t surprise me if, I Want Your Sex actually becomes one of the enduring films of 2026. Not only because of the great performances from Wilde, Hoffman and the rest of the cast, but also because it’s such a contrast to nearly every other commercial film that’s come out this year, particularly any that are playing in theatres right now.

Look, I saw the Odyssey and I liked it. I will get around to seeing Spiderman part 10, and when I do, I’ll probably like it. I genuinely love how the internet is all a-titter debating whether the federal ban on pre-marital sex in One Night Only is possible, whether One Night Only is a pro or anti sex film and whether One Night Only is good, bad or so-bad-it’s-good1

But I spotted all the cameos and character actors in the Odyssey and One Night Only2. I Want Your Sex was so good, I couldn’t focus on any of the trivia until it was over.