I Am a Sex Addict

Although a dark comedy with a serious lean toward sexual narcissism, this film's quirks will appeal to those who don't mind exploring those dark corners of one's desires and laughing at their own inadequacies.

Caveh Zahedi is the screenwriter, director, star, and historian regarding his personal battles with sex addiction.

The most entertaining aspects of the film are that it is shot rather unconventionally. Although the film starts with Zahedi talking to the camera, waiting to be married for the third time, the scenes zip back and forth between Zahedi the narrator, Zahedi the actor, and Zahedi the narrator during acting (he'll occasionally stare at the camera and make a rather pithy comment while acting within the framework of the film). Part documentary, part fictional take on his experiences, the film delves deep into sexual promiscuity. Bit by bit we get to watch Zahedi fall into a pit of self-gratification with little or no concern for his girlfriends or wives. That he tries to be "honest" and "open" only shows his continued deep slide into the addictive process. When the women in his life fight with him, he's at a loss to understand why ("But you said I could have sex with a prostitute!") The comedy is all based around Zahedi's lack of self-control and his relationships based solely on sexual need. Watching him receive oral sex — his facial expressions and loss of auditory control — are absolutely hilarious; not to mention his fifteen second rise to orgasm.

The film is edited extremely well, mostly taking place in San Francisco, but also in Paris and a few other locations. The map animation sequences are very nicely done as are a few other animations related to travel and Zahedi's history.

The fact that I AM A SEX ADDICT won the Gotham Award in 2005 for Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You should be a useful gauge for those considering this movie as a rental or purchase.

This film chronicles director Zahedi's addiction to prostitutes over the course of many, many years, and presents an honest and realistic portrait of sexual compulsions and fetishes. Of interest as well are Zahedi's attempts to reconcile his oft violent sexual fantasies with his various attempts at healthy relationships. One has to wonder how true to life Zahedi's portraits of his relationships are, except maybe for his final relationship, but they make for an interesting depiction of dysfunctional and atypical 'romantic' relationships either way.

The film's humor genuinely works. As many moving, sad, and let's be honest- pathetic moments there clearly were in Zahedi's life, he is able to portray them in a humorous self-deprecating light, which is testament to his talent as a filmmaker, because these events could very easily have made one of the most disturbing and real pure dramas put on film, but Zahedi's Allen-like psychological self-obsession comes across as endearing and funny. That's not to say the film's more dramatic moments, such as its beautiful, understated, ending don't work, because they do, but the film's quality is increased by the humorous content

The film is obviously low-budget and essentially a mockumentary, so don't look for any great moments of technical film-making, but Zahedi is no bore and certainly a solid directo who knows how to pace a film. A lot of people have a problem with Zahedi's behavior towards women, but it appears that by the end of the film he is happy and content in a healthy relationship.

Caveh Zahedi's "I Am a Sex Addict" is far from a perfect film, but it's honest, entertaining, unique, well-made, and worth your time.

8/10

I am a sex addict is not another stupid comedy as one might suppose while looking at the tittle. It makes an attempt to be a smart film on very important subject, that is sex addiction. The movie succeeds in this respect and even at some points resembles more drama than comedy. Although I approve of extremely personal films with wise message and dealing with difficult, taboo subjects, I regrettably cannot write that I am a sex addict is a good or bad film. In fact, it's a mixed bag and wasted potential for me. Caveh Zahedi tells the story about himself without embelishment and sentimentalism, which requires a great bravery and distance. Nonetheless, the picture is very uneven. It starts very well, but then it 's worse and worse. The flick becomes wordy and lengthy. What is the biggest vice is a first-person narration which is repetitive and to a large degree irrelevant. Zahedi also appears too frequently (he's present in every scene). The superior moments are when Zahedi plays with form in order to entertain viewers. The ending is satisfactory, but it's too late to save this average movie.

I saw this film at the Tribeca Film Festival and loved every minute of it. The film chronicles the director Caveh Zahedi's own proclivity for prostitutes and how this "addiction" ruined two marriages and numerous relationships. When he meets his match in Deven, played superbly by an actress I have never seen before, the film moves from hilarious to deeply moving. Deven has addictions of her own, and suddenly Caveh is confronted with a mirror of his insensitivity to others. What seems like a film that might only appeal to a male audience, turns out out to be fascinating and touching for women too. Zahedi's policy of complete honesty may have tortured many of his ex's but it puts us, the audience, in the cat-bird seat. This film has great potential for reaching a mass audience in my opinion.

Obviously not a Hollywood, high-budget film, but if you can get past that it is really interesting. Yes, the Producer/Director/Writer/Star is being very self indulgent. Of course you learn from the film that he has always been that way. But this film is an outstanding a study of a male viewpoint of relationships and sex.

He repeatedly says that all he wants is someone he can be totally honest with, and he hears several women tell him they want that honesty. Of course the truth is that we only want our partners to be honest when it matches our own view of reality. When their truth conflicts with our view of reality we either try to argue them out of their truth or force them to deny it. In fact, as much as Caveh wants the freedom of being honest with his partners he never gives them that same freedom.

Don't rent this for the sex scenes and don't rent this for a great plot. But if you like psychological studies of relationships, this film is well worth the time and money.