Reel Deal

By Tara Dempsey and Ryan Leach

In Body Shots a group of 20-somethings go out for a night on the town that basically boils down to drinking and sex.

The movie begins with the characters talking directly to the camera about their views on sex, relationships and love. The story cuts back and forth from the morning after reactions, to the night's events.

The movie takes a sharp turn from reckless fun to grave seriousness as Sara (Tara Reid) accuses Michael (Jerry O'Connell) of rape, and they recount their conflicting stories. RYAN'S REVIEW

When it comes to sex, many things come to mind: in the '60s it was free love and in the early '90s it was AIDS. As we approach the millennium, sex has become such a casual act that it is almost meaningless. If you have protection then you have sex.

This is evident in Body Shots as we watch a night in the life of eight people, four guy friends and four girl friends, as they dance and "sleep" the night away.

The thing I liked most about this film is that it gives the viewer a realistic look at dating and relationships - from both male and female perspectives. After each character speaks their beliefs on sex, they support their beliefs through their actions. This is very effective.It might seem like a harsh look at life and sex, but at least the people are being honest. Included with the honesty is a good amount of humor that makes this movie fun to watch - until the end.At the end, we see two of the people about to get together. Then they stop suddenly without saying anything and the credits roll. It leaves a sour taste in your mouth. As a result of the ending, the grade for this movie dropped from a solid B. B-

TARA'S TAKE

With an energy and attitude that seems to be a combination of Swingers and Go, this movie is not afraid to talk about anything. From a peek into a class in Los Angeles that helps women at a certain sexual task, to bondage, to the inevitable one-night stand, this movie has no shame.Both the men and the women in this movie are more afraid of love than sex. Finding someone to have sex with is easy, according to Rick (Sean Patrick Flanery), but it is much more complicated to find someone to love.

Most of the characters have no problem giving their bodies up with a one-night stand, but they are nearly terrified of actually giving their souls up for the possibility of love.When things get rolling, the movie is pretty entertaining. From the highly energetic club scene to the suspense as Sara and Michael defend their sides of the rape charge, the movie is enthralling.However, when the characters are just talking to eachother it is just lame. The actors have more chemistry with the camera during the direct interviews than with each other, even the couples who are supposedly getting along.

While the less-than-stellar acting took away from the movie in some aspects, I was entertained. The he said/she said battle over the rape charge was great because both sides are so believable. The brutal honesty of both the male and female characters on the subject of sex was refreshing. B-