Genre: Comedy
Director: Billy Kent
Starring: Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, Mischa Barton and Danny DeVito
RunTime: 1 hr 36 mins
Released By: Festive Films and GV
Rating: M18 (Mature Theme)
Official Website: www.festivefilms.com/theohinohio

Opening Day: 26 October 2006

Synopsis :

Starring Parker Posey (Superman Returns), Paul Rudd (The 40 Year Old Virgin), Mischa Barton & Danny DeVito, THE OH IN OHIO is a refreshing sex comedy on the quest to the big OH! Priscilla Chase (Parker Posey) seemed to have everything going for her with one small private exception.... She never thought much of sex. When her husband (Paul Rudd) unexpectedly leaves her to regain his manhood; she embarks on a wild journey that leads her to satisfaction and love in the most unlikely place.

Movie Review:

If the word orgasm, masturbation or any other part of both the female and male anatomy offends you, this review will probably be pretty distasteful to you. Otherwise, with legs, I mean, arms wide open, I welcome you to read about this film which depicts a woman’s journey towards finding the big O.

Of late, most sex comedies have been particularly been teenage (cue American Pie) or middle-aged men-driven (cue The 40 Year Old Virgin). Thus, a film about a middle-aged woman trying to find an orgasm for the first time in her life will draw a crowd to the cinema like a bird to a bee? Wrong. The OH in Ohio falls short of expectations.

The film does not only revolve around Priscilla Chase’s (Parker Posey) inability to get an orgasm, a sub-plot involves her husband, Jack Chase (Paul Rudd) who feels inadequate at pleasuring his wife and in return, leaves her. In doing this, he tries to regain his pride, urm, manhood by having an affair with his biology student, Kristen Taylor (Mischa Barton).

Most of the jokes in the film warrant a laugh or two but nothing of the sort that would leave you on a high. Parker Posey is charming, trying her best to portray Priscilla Chase and her frigidity. Unfortunately, Posey is unable to sustain the charm for very long as one’s interest in her character might probably wane by the time the film reaches its climax. This is largely due to Danny De Vito’s appearance as Wayne the Pool Guy in the last third of the film. While his performance alone might draw some sentimentality from one, the scenes with both Posey and De Vito are more likely to draw guffaws instead.

Paul Rudd as Jack Chase represents a Rudd who is fast fading from the Rudd who was much lauded for his performance in The Object of My Affection. If you want to watch a heavily-bearded man attempting to find himself again, watch Steve Carrell in Little Miss Sunshine instead. Mischa Barton, possibly the primary eye candy in the film has a secondary part to play as the biology student having a love affair with her teacher. She is clearly underused despite her appearance in several sweat-inducing moments during the film.

As bad as it all sounds, The OH in Ohio is a pretty watchable film. You’ll laugh, gawk and walk out not remembering much. The experience is about the same as an under-18 entering a sex novelty shop, you enter knowing more than when you leave.

Movie Rating:

(The OH in Ohio stirs a reaction but in its failing to stimulate causes it to fall short on what could have been a truly orgasmic experience)

Review by Mohamad Shaifulbahri