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Reviews
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (2008)
Great idea, hilarious with heart-felt moments but tries a little too hard to sustain the comedy.
Just saw this at Prince Charles Cinema in London followed by a lengthy Q&A session with the director (and subject matter) of this heart-felt but sometimes forced documentary.
The film starts with a good introduction to the trials and tribulations of Chris Waitt's past relationships. He seems genuinely confused as to why he has such a long list of angry ex's and attempts to interview them to figure out and learn from his previous wrongs. The subject matter was engrossing and as the documentary goes on, the viewer gets a sense that through all the stoic British dryness and sardonic wit, the protagonist's predicament is actually quite serious and you find yourself really feeling for the guy (even though you think he's a total loser).
However, all this build up is then let down by a few farcical seemingly-staged sketches including a painful dominatrix skit (boys, you might want to bring a hanky to wipe away those sympathy tears), and an overstretched scene suggesting Viagra over-dose will turn you into an indiscriminate sex maniac who will prowl the streets of London Borat-style. Chris Waitt mentioned in the Q&A that previous test-screenings left audiences entirely depressed so it's understandable that they played to the comedy side of the film when editing. Of note is that one of the editors - Chris Dickens, also edited Hot Fuzz, so this documentary really does have a playful comedic edge but unfortunately this also leaves some parts feeling rather fake or forced. Towards the end of the film you are left confused and wondering if this really was a documentary or a carefully stage mockumentary and as Chris admitted, the epilogue of the documentary is more than a bit Jerry Springer Thought of the Day. I would be interested in seeing another cut of the film, with less slapstick and more exploration of his past relationships and what he'd learnt from them. Apart from the significant epiphany Chris has on his journey, he brushes off all his other ex's accusations with witty comebacks and nonchalance which I feel is just for the camera.
On the positive side, during the more subtle parts of the film, of which there are many, the audience were left either roaring with laughter or having their heart-strings severely tested because of the honest portrayal of the situations. However, we may have been a more sympathetic audience having 'met' Chris when he introduced the film. As other comments have shown, it may be harder to sympathise with him/the character had we not seen him all witty, humble and scruffy in the flesh.
Overall, this documentary is well worth going out of your way to see. No one can deny how brave Chris has been to go on a journey into the painful past that most of us would prefer to forget. Chris jokingly said that the moral of the film is 'Don't overdose on Viagra' but I would like to rephrase that and say it is about how everything that happens good or bad ultimately brings you to the present, and in the here and now, you should always seize the day and not let something/someone slip through your fingers.