Virtual Sexuality (1998)

Justine (the delightful Laura Fraser), the heroine of Virtual Sexuality, thinks her life is ruined because she's a 17-year-old virgin. Through her friend Chas (Luke DeLacey), she tries to maneuver a cute but boorish athlete into a date, but he stands her up. Despondent, she and Chas go to a virtual reality exhibition, which features a virtual makeover machine--but instead of modeling a different version of herself, Justine creates a 3-D image of her perfect man. Due to a freak accident, Justine suddenly finds herself inside of that male body--she's become her own ideal mate (Rupert Penry-Jones)--and the life of a boy isn't the one she wants to live. This charming comedy is being marketed as if this plot twist didn't exist, which is peculiar because this is what makes the movie fun. There aren't any stunning revelations about gender roles as Chas teaches "Jake"--the name the male Justine gives herself--but there's a sweet playfulness to how Jake interacts with his body and the rest of the world. Fraser and Penry-Jones are perfectly matched; they do a superb job of seeming like the same personality in two different bodies. Its ads make Virtual Sexuality look like yet another movie about two girls fighting over a guy, but that doesn't describe this unexpected British comedy at all--its female perspective on sex takes it in an entirely different direction. Based on a novel by Chloë Rayban. --Bret Fetzer Amazon.com

amzon has it all

This is a movie I had seen when I was very young, I doubted I would be able to see it any other time, but amazon had It and I am very happy with the fast delivery and the quality of the product. Great Purchase. April 28, 2008

Don't get out much, do you.

My first observation is that a lot of your 4/5 star reviews of Virtual Sexuality are from american viewers. All I can assume is you have a slightly tainted view of British humour, and assume this garbage passes as decent movie fair here in Blighty. It doesn't.
Justine. A weak character on whom the basis is thankfully rarely placed, her only motivation is that at 17 (if she or any of the rest of the cast is really 17 then this is a 5 star film) she has yet to lose her virginity. Incapable of finding her "Bar-Code"/Perfect Man, she inadvertantly creates him in a ludicrous virtual reality booth thing that, once the building around it explodes, is creates in the flesh the being she's composed (well, as you do). Sure. I'll swallow that.
What follows is a lame "girl becomes man" story, as Justine gets used to being "Jake" (the excuse for the full frontal nudity that earns the film its' 18 rating). The characters are thankfully limited - Chas, the nerd we KNOW will get Justine; Fran, Justine's friend who is off screen for most of the film; Alex, the token brainless football jock who thinks he's it; Hoover, the resident man-magnet; Justine and Jake of course; and two scientists, intent on getting Jake back for some "tests." It's difficult to care about any of them, or anything they do, as it's all so vague and dragged out (and very boring) until the film's eventual "everything's sorted out with cheerful ease and all is alright again" ending. Things are literally sorted with the touch of a button... so what was all the fuss about? Is Jake really linked to Justine? Why do they feel eachother's pain? Did Jake and Hoover have sex, or is Jake gay as presumably his feelings for Chas prompted Justine's? Tons of questions, none answered. It's never even very funny, assuming I wasn't asleep when the jokes were made. The plot is true second rate stuff, armed with a single twist (Jake is not Justine, but was created out of thin air instead, and simply has a copy of her consciousness and memories...?) and is dragged over too long a running time. The music isn't inspirational. The directing isn't anything fresh. Hell, the cast aren't much to write home about, with some shaky motivations and bad lines. It's just hard to care about any of it, and more importantly minus it's nude scenes, it seems an almost audience-less semi-chick flick, that's never exceptionally rude or adventurous, or fresh in any way.
Truly a dire and tedious film, without any real merit or fun to be had. Even a blink-and-miss-him cameo from Desdonds' Porkpie won't turn any heads. October 22, 2002

Not what you exected...

...If you read the description on the back of the box. I was looking for a stupid, pointless, and thoroughly predictable romantic comedy. What I got was a wry, funny, and unexpected movie more than willing to poke fun at itself for the silly premise. Rather than a Pygmailion-like story of a creation come to life, this movie was more about understanding both sides of the gender line.

When Justine becomes Jake, her computer designed fantasy bloke, she gets (or has) to go places always barred to her before, and to puzzle out the mystery of what makes a bloke tick. Trailing along with Chas, Justine's computer-geek-next-door, Jake ventures onto the basketball court, into the locker room (yike!!!) and even onto the dance floor with Hoover (guess why she got the nickname).

This movie is hilarious, and well worth watching as the clueless and shallow Justine gets a good idea of what life and love are all about, both as a guy and a girl. August 24, 2002

Cute movie!

At first this film seemed like it wasn't going to be that great - it was coming across to me as puerile and unoriginal. However, ten minutes later I decided I was completely wrong - it's an excellent movie! All right, it's never going to be great art, but it was still very enjoyable. All three leads were brilliant, interacting really well together and making me laugh out loud lots of times, and the slightly offbeat humour was refreshingly different from a lot of chick flick movies.
I read the novel this film is based on (Virtual Sexual Reality, by Chloe Rayban) and really enjoyed it, so I was worried that the film would completely ruin it. I worried needlessly - the two are completely different, because while the book makes you think more, the film is more entertaining and has a better pace.
Overall, my only gripe with this film is the ending. I just felt really annoyed that we know Justine and Chas didn't stay together forever (oops, spoiler). All right, that would be unrealistic, but I'm a romantic - I need to feel there's some hope for me!
Overall, though, this film is really enjoyable - just right for a girls' night in, and some guys might enjoy it too. Maybe rent it rather than buy it, but definitely give it a go! July 14, 2002

Don't miss this movie

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly.The characters are very real. Quite imaginative. And, wow goes to the visual effects! January 5, 2002

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