Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006)

Sex and love. Some seek it, some need it, some spurn it and some pay for it, but we're all involved in it. Set on one afternoon on Hampstead Heath, London, the film investigates the minutiae of seven couples. What makes us tick?

Director:

Ed Blum

Writer:

Aschlin Ditta

Stars:

Holly Aird, Eileen Atkins, Hugh Bonneville

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Holly Aird	...	Molly
Eileen Atkins	...	Iris
Hugh Bonneville	...	Gerry
Tom Hardy	...	Noel
Douglas Hodge	...	Brian
Adrian Lester	...	Pete
Andrew Lincoln	...	Jamie
Ewan McGregor	...	Billy
Gina McKee	...	Julia
Elle Mckenzie	...	Eve
Sophie Okonedo	...	Anna
Eglantine Rembauville-Nicolle	...	Sophie (as Eglantine Rembauville)
Nicholas Sidi	...	Ludo (as Nick Sidi)
Mark Strong	...	Louis
Catherine Tate	...	Sara

Storyline

Various Londeners meet people in Hampstead Heath park. Financial adviser Billy, a successful casual sex seeker, discusses the pros, contras and how of his child-wish. Cheeky Noel innocent pick-up lines lead only to cruelty from girls, once even abandoned jeans on ankles. Gerry's promising blind date picnic ends as abruptly when his business partner turns up, who just agreed a Barbados holiday with his steady girl. Eddie discovers trough a date mix-up that Iris, his ripe age, who come to the same park weekly too but a day earlier, was his prospective mate until they each met their now late partners decades ago. Pete comes settle the end of a marriage that shouldn't have happened except for his daughter.

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Plot Keywords:

girl | sex | heath | park | love | 

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Taglines:

Love on the Heath.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Tin Pan Films [uk]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 November 2006 (UK)

Also Known As:

Cenas de Natureza Sexual

Filming Locations:

Hampstead Heath, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£260,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tin Pan Films, Mob Film Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Closing film of 2006's London's Raindance Film Festival.

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Quotes

Iris: You see, once you commit yourself to something, however bizarre it might seem to other people, you kind of owe it to yourself to enjoy the experience.

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Connections

References Good Neighbors (1975)

User Reviews

A day in the park

Hampstead Heath, that wonderful expanse in London is the setting for this delightful comedy. Directed with style by Ed Blum, the comedy brings some of England's most interesting actors together in a film that is as easy to take like a summer in the park with a nice breeze in the air.

We are taken to meet several people that seem to be enjoying their day, totally unconnected to one another. We meet Iris, a widow, whose reaction to Eddy, the older man that asks her if she would mind sharing her bench, is not exactly a happy one. Yet, they seem to have more in common than one could have suspected. They have met because of they have gone to the park on the wrong day.

Then, there is the young gay couple who are seen in the "Men Only" section of the park, talking about their life together and how one would stop cruising other men if they could agree in adopting a child. That proves to be wishful thinking, because when all it's said and done, the same proponent is seen trailing after a hot number to a secluded area to engage in sex, no doubt. One wonders about how realistic his expectations can be.

One of the best vignettes involves a blind date. The two people one sees seem to hit it off well, although they seem to have different opinions on what they expect from one another. There is also a funny sequence involving a couple that meets to what appear to be a happy reunion for a nice stroll, and suddenly a shock comes when she asks him for money for her fee, which has gone up in price.

All the actors in the film contribute tremendously to the enjoyment of it by acting effortlessly in this comedy that seems to be about nothing, yet it reveals a lot of inner tensions in many of the characters.

Best of all, Ewan McGregor and Douglas Hodge as the gay lovers. Eileen Atkins and Benjamin Whitrow make a perfect old couple. Gina McKee and Hugh Bonneville are effective as the couple on the blind date. Contributions by Adrian Lester, Sophie Onokedo, Polly Aird, and Polly Walker enhance the film.

Ed Blum shows a talent for creating people so different that happen to be one day in Hampstead Heath truly believable.