Movie Reviews

‘In Corpore’ review: Intimate tale of lust and intimacy

Risky filmmaking and prolonged sex scenes.

December 22, 2020

In Corpore is an anthology like film that looks at sex, relationships, self identity, lust, and deceit. The movie focuses on four women from different parts of the world. The story is a frank look at sexuality and gender stereotyping. Does it have anything new to say or is it just another sexually graphic film with the same message?

Directors Sarah Jayne and Ivan Malekin take a huge risk by having many of the scenes rely on improvisation. On the plus side, the cast have strong improvisational skills. This leads to powerful moments that give the audience the feeling of being a fly on the wall. It is not just about about watching conversations take place. In Corpore brings viewers into the movie.

Unfortunately, this also leads to an aimless feeling during some parts of the movie. Ironically, these scenes come off as the least real and the most scripted. The performances remain strong during the entirety of In Corpore, but the best moments are the ones that are reigned in a little.

The sex scenes from the movie are explicit and direct. They do a wonderful job of making the act seem tender and vulgar at the same time. It is an odd feeling, but it is exactly what In Corpore is going for. The scenes are long and also succeed at doing something rarely seen from sex in film: they convey the emotion of the characters and the moments.

Risky filmmaking and prolonged sex scenes mean little if there is nothing behind them. In Corpore goes deeper than its more titillating moments. There is a strong story regarding gender norms and identity. Obviously, the film deals with relationships, but there are also themes of jealousy and despair. The movie uses powerful and protracted scenes to get its audience to look inward.