Investigating Sex (aka Intimate Affairs) (2002)

In 1929 Massachusetts, a researcher (Dermot Mulroney) is conducting interviews with several male subjects on male sexuality. His research being funded by a wealthy mentor (Nick Nolte), he hopes to publish his findings. But his attempts to control the dialogue isn't successful and the direction the conversation takes becomes splintered, especially when women are invited to participate. At his best, director Alan Rudolph (a protege of Robert Altman) is responsible for some of the best films of the 1980s. Movies like CHOOSE ME, SONGWRITER and TROUBLE IN MIND. But he's also directed some shameless duds like WELCOME TO L.A., REMEMBER MY NAME and ENDANGERED SPECIES. This effort falls in the dud category. Rudolph deserves some sort of prize for not only making a film about sex without a hint of eroticism but downright dull. Never mind that the film is a supposed comedy where there isn't a laugh to be had. People sit around for near two hours and talk, talk, talk about sex. This might be engrossing if the writing were any good but it's terribly written and poorly acted. But one can't blame the poor actors (well maybe Jeremy Davies) because the pretentious dialogue would defeat anybody. With Tuesday Weld, who has a few good moments as a faux Russian by way of Brooklyn, Neve Campbell, Julie Delpy, Terrence Howard, Alan Cumming, Robin Tunney and John Light.