November 17th, 2014 
James Shotwell 
Film: Sex Ed
Starring: Haley Joel Osment, Laura Harring
Directed by: Isaac Feder
Topping off a year-plus run of great supporting roles in several underrated indie gems, Haley Joel Osment is back in the spotlight with a hilarious new film called Sex Ed.
Hollywood contains a long history of finding humor by showcasing children behaving badly, but rarely has a story riddled with filth been met with the amount of heart found in Isaac Feder’s Sex Ed. Based on a script from Bill Kennedy, the film follows a twenty-something named Eddie — who, following a long bout of unemployment, finally finds a teaching job in his home state of Florida. Once on site, Eddie realizes his class has had no formal sexual education and sets to informing his pupils about their bodies. What they don’t know however, is that Eddie has as much, if not less sexual experience than those in his class. He’s a bona fide virgin with a heart of gold, and he’s determined to make sure kids have the information needed to make smart decisions later in life.
As you can assume, the film makes the most of the its premise by offering numerous sequences filled with middle-school-aged children inquiring about every aspect of human sexuality imaginable. The first questions are rather generic, but things quickly go from educational to outright absurd, with questions about the requirements of creating an authentic ‘Bangbus’ and the realities of anal sex. It’s not exactly high-brow humor, but things never become so filthy that the gags feel out of place in the context of the story. This is largely helped by the constant presence of a secondary plot involving Eddie and his crush on one student’s older sibling. It’s a bit predictable, as is a large portion of the central narrative, but the quick-witted dialogue and first rate cast keeps things interesting throughout.
Sex Ed wouldn’t work if not for the top shelf performance delivered by Haley Joel Osment. People have been obsessed with the perceived resurrection of Matthew Mcconaughey’s career over the last year or so, but I would argue it’s Haley who has worked harder and done more to earn a renewed presence in pop culture. He’s appeared in many dramatic and horror/thriller-tinged works over the last two years, as well as the horror-comedy Tusk, but it wasn’t until this film that he really had room and time to showcase his matured onscreen presence. It’s unlikely that he will ever get out from under the immense shadow of The Sixth Sense, but his work in Sex Ed proves he is up to the challenge.
The supporting cast is worthy of mention as well — including both the students and adults who interact with Eddie on his journey. The most notable of these is Sydney, a bartender and neighbor to Eddie who is brought to life by Parks and Rec cast member Retta. She serves as a life coach to Eddie, helping him understand women and find the strength to do what must be done to educate his students. It’s a turn that outshines arguably more known cast mates, including Matt Walsh, and it will likely lead to many more film appearances in the years to come.
The direction of Isaac Feder is adequate, but it doesn’t do much to impress the viewer. Scenes play out in a way that feels like a very edgy television show, lacking the close-ups and skillful editing to create a truly engrossing experience. Things never fall apart completely, but it’s hard to wonder if the film could have been even better with someone else calling the shots.
Though it comes incredibly close to being a bit too familiar for its own good, Sex Ed finds enough humor and warm fuzzies to demand a strong recommendation. In a year where the majority of studio comedies have been either sequels or complete flops it’s nice to know there are still storytellers out there who know how to make classic ideas feel new once more in ways that truly entertain. Haley Joel Osment has a bright future in comedy should he choose to pursue the art form further, but if not this film will serve as proof he can bring the funny. It doesn’t hurt that everyone loves kids behaving badly, of course, but you need more than a humorous concept to make a good movie. Sex Ed is funny and sweet, with a great cast and a strong script that offers far more originality than your typical theater fare. What more could you ask for?
GRADE: B
Review written by James Shotwell Follow @utgjames
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