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.

I really liked this movie when it started. It is quirky and funny and very different with a style of its own. It is low budget but made in style with lot of disclaimers so that even the low budget becomes a plot point. In many respects it is similar in style to "Private Parts" which was a movie about Howard Sterns. I loved that movie. But unlike that movie which had a story to tell, this one doesn't.

It just comes across as a collection of incidents rather than a whole story. And it is awfully repetitive. Also after watching it for some time you get more and more tired of the narcissistic director/lead of the movie. I do think that the movie has potential and is still worth a watch. But frankly it could have been much better, especially with a better script.

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.

One of the more honest films I have seen, dealing realistically with sexual addiction in a very deadpan way, Sex Addict still wallows in it's own self-absorbed repetition. The man of the hour, Caveh Zahedi, will certainly appear unlikable to many, if nothing more then for his shameful and downright insulting views on women, although in a very atypical manner. This writer, director, star, and bearer of souls delves as shamelessly deep as is possible into his troubled sexual life in mockumentary style, with brilliant results. Although chronicling a painful lapse into prostitute fixation, Zahedi's treatment of his entire love life positions this film as a modern day Woody Allen on sexual dysfunction. The only difference here is the graphic and starkly honest dialog detailing a man and his penis, in unrelenting fashion. While the pretentious parts may not add up to the transcendent whole that Caveh was obviously going for, the climax, so to speak, in which the narration comes full circle, was brilliantly executed and helped lend a final pull to the varied fact/fictional style. Ultimately, despite Zahedi's overindulgence and self importance, this is a fearless autobiography, the likes of which few film makers would have the nerve to approach. If one need any further proof of just how genuine and edgy this guy is, please check out the three short DVD bonus making of features, that truly capture some stunningly real moments in this already real film.

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.