User reviews

Although a dark comedy with a serious lean toward sexual narcissism, this film's quirks will appeal to those who don't mind exploring those dark corners of one's desires and laughing at their own inadequacies.

Caveh Zahedi is the screenwriter, director, star, and historian regarding his personal battles with sex addiction.

The most entertaining aspects of the film are that it is shot rather unconventionally. Although the film starts with Zahedi talking to the camera, waiting to be married for the third time, the scenes zip back and forth between Zahedi the narrator, Zahedi the actor, and Zahedi the narrator during acting (he'll occasionally stare at the camera and make a rather pithy comment while acting within the framework of the film). Part documentary, part fictional take on his experiences, the film delves deep into sexual promiscuity. Bit by bit we get to watch Zahedi fall into a pit of self-gratification with little or no concern for his girlfriends or wives. That he tries to be "honest" and "open" only shows his continued deep slide into the addictive process. When the women in his life fight with him, he's at a loss to understand why ("But you said I could have sex with a prostitute!") The comedy is all based around Zahedi's lack of self-control and his relationships based solely on sexual need. Watching him receive oral sex — his facial expressions and loss of auditory control — are absolutely hilarious; not to mention his fifteen second rise to orgasm.

The film is edited extremely well, mostly taking place in San Francisco, but also in Paris and a few other locations. The map animation sequences are very nicely done as are a few other animations related to travel and Zahedi's history.

The fact that I AM A SEX ADDICT won the Gotham Award in 2005 for Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You should be a useful gauge for those considering this movie as a rental or purchase.

Obviously not a Hollywood, high-budget film, but if you can get past that it is really interesting. Yes, the Producer/Director/Writer/Star is being very self indulgent. Of course you learn from the film that he has always been that way. But this film is an outstanding a study of a male viewpoint of relationships and sex.

He repeatedly says that all he wants is someone he can be totally honest with, and he hears several women tell him they want that honesty. Of course the truth is that we only want our partners to be honest when it matches our own view of reality. When their truth conflicts with our view of reality we either try to argue them out of their truth or force them to deny it. In fact, as much as Caveh wants the freedom of being honest with his partners he never gives them that same freedom.

Don't rent this for the sex scenes and don't rent this for a great plot. But if you like psychological studies of relationships, this film is well worth the time and money.

Director of this film is Caveh Zahedi and he also plays the lead role in this semi-documentary style film. It assume it's based on a true story about a man named Caveh Zahedi who is a sex addict and is struggling to stay loyal to one woman while showing his sexual history. Now I can understand people that don't believe in marriage, but Caveh just tries way too hard to show that he is a nice guy with morals, I guess his own morals. In another words this is a very self indulgent film, which actually hurts the product overall. The narration and re-telling the stories was actually well done though and even if the director that was also playing the lead role is self indulgent while making and acting in the movie, he seemed to be very honest as well, just not that honest with himself. I think Caveh's main problem was or is, more than being a sex addict is that he just can't keep his temptations in his head. He just needs to spout it all out in front of his girlfriends while annoying the heck out of them while looking really creepy looking. I also didn't have any sympathy towards Caveh if that was intentional or not and he just came off as a bit of a egomaniac, despite his flaws he just seemed a bit way too desperate to be liked and accepted. The movie goes through these 12 step program until he finds his true happiness in life. So yes this is a self indulgent film, but it's also a fascinating psychological study. To be honest when I saw the cover for this movie, I thought it would go on a more serious direction, but I am glad it went the more comedic direction. And although some may say this film is repetitive, I didn't really have a problem with that, because it just made the movie more realistic. Even if a lot of what happens aren't clearly explained, like how Caveh made a drastic change just by going to Sex Addicts Anonymous meetings. It is a interesting semi-documentary in which most scenes are recreated.

6.6/10

I saw this film at the Tribeca Film Festival and loved every minute of it. The film chronicles the director Caveh Zahedi's own proclivity for prostitutes and how this "addiction" ruined two marriages and numerous relationships. When he meets his match in Deven, played superbly by an actress I have never seen before, the film moves from hilarious to deeply moving. Deven has addictions of her own, and suddenly Caveh is confronted with a mirror of his insensitivity to others. What seems like a film that might only appeal to a male audience, turns out out to be fascinating and touching for women too. Zahedi's policy of complete honesty may have tortured many of his ex's but it puts us, the audience, in the cat-bird seat. This film has great potential for reaching a mass audience in my opinion.

One of the more honest films I have seen, dealing realistically with sexual addiction in a very deadpan way, Sex Addict still wallows in it's own self-absorbed repetition. The man of the hour, Caveh Zahedi, will certainly appear unlikable to many, if nothing more then for his shameful and downright insulting views on women, although in a very atypical manner. This writer, director, star, and bearer of souls delves as shamelessly deep as is possible into his troubled sexual life in mockumentary style, with brilliant results. Although chronicling a painful lapse into prostitute fixation, Zahedi's treatment of his entire love life positions this film as a modern day Woody Allen on sexual dysfunction. The only difference here is the graphic and starkly honest dialog detailing a man and his penis, in unrelenting fashion. While the pretentious parts may not add up to the transcendent whole that Caveh was obviously going for, the climax, so to speak, in which the narration comes full circle, was brilliantly executed and helped lend a final pull to the varied fact/fictional style. Ultimately, despite Zahedi's overindulgence and self importance, this is a fearless autobiography, the likes of which few film makers would have the nerve to approach. If one need any further proof of just how genuine and edgy this guy is, please check out the three short DVD bonus making of features, that truly capture some stunningly real moments in this already real film.

A fascinating watch as we see one man use film making as a kind of therapy. This has probably been done before, but never so openly. We follow Zahedi as he bluntly discusses his addiction to sex and prostitutes. Zahedi is an honest and endearing man. His naivety translates well into both comedy and genuine emotion. The constant breaking of the forth wall and laying out facts about the film's production, as well as his story, make this sometimes jumbled, but always enjoyable. I got a real feel for Zahedi, but this film doesn't wallow in self pity or excuse his actions. It's low budget helps Zahedi create some wonderful little quirks.

I am a sex addict is not another stupid comedy as one might suppose while looking at the tittle. It makes an attempt to be a smart film on very important subject, that is sex addiction. The movie succeeds in this respect and even at some points resembles more drama than comedy. Although I approve of extremely personal films with wise message and dealing with difficult, taboo subjects, I regrettably cannot write that I am a sex addict is a good or bad film. In fact, it's a mixed bag and wasted potential for me. Caveh Zahedi tells the story about himself without embelishment and sentimentalism, which requires a great bravery and distance. Nonetheless, the picture is very uneven. It starts very well, but then it 's worse and worse. The flick becomes wordy and lengthy. What is the biggest vice is a first-person narration which is repetitive and to a large degree irrelevant. Zahedi also appears too frequently (he's present in every scene). The superior moments are when Zahedi plays with form in order to entertain viewers. The ending is satisfactory, but it's too late to save this average movie.

Caveh, the director and lead actor of the film has a rather interesting problem; he is addicted to sex with prostitutes. The film is comprised of narrations re-telling the stories of his failed attempts to stop his addiction and the relationships that are destroyed as a result. Mixed in the narration is interview footage of Caveh just before his wedding (his third), where he narrates his struggle. He eventually finds recovery in a 12-step program, and finds a level of happiness.

At the U.S. premiere at the Tribeca Film festival, he revealed that the vast majority of these very personal and embarrassing stories were true. Also, his wife was in the audience and he reports that after 7 years his relationship is strong.

As for the film, it's actually very funny, as Caveh is able to present dysfunctional scenarios in a self-defacing and humorous light. It's a shame that a movie like this will probably never get distributed world-wide, but if you see it at a film festival, go see it. Highly recommended.

I really liked this movie when it started. It is quirky and funny and very different with a style of its own. It is low budget but made in style with lot of disclaimers so that even the low budget becomes a plot point. In many respects it is similar in style to "Private Parts" which was a movie about Howard Sterns. I loved that movie. But unlike that movie which had a story to tell, this one doesn't.

It just comes across as a collection of incidents rather than a whole story. And it is awfully repetitive. Also after watching it for some time you get more and more tired of the narcissistic director/lead of the movie. I do think that the movie has potential and is still worth a watch. But frankly it could have been much better, especially with a better script.

The thing that I believe people are missing here is that this isn't a movie, it's a documentary in which some scenes are recreated, it's his true story. Caveh is a human with extreme flaws and whether you love him or hate him: he is real. he has true thoughts, he bluntly states these thoughts which often turns out to complicate virtually everything, yes, some things are repetitive, but this is life! life is repetitive. every person has moments if you look back and see the mistakes you made and so does he. judging by other comments it's like people are watching this expecting there to be an obvious course in the plot, but there isn't in life or in this movie. the raw emotion that he expresses is about his sex addiction, he is merely stating how he felt at the time. he wants to convey this addiction and he does so in an open and though provoking way. i just feel as though everyone was expecting this to be like every other movie, but it's not off of a script, it's real life.

Yes movie nuts that's what the title should have been: I'm a Kid that Can't Grow Up.

At first I was impressed by his insight into his sexual needs. And his wanting-to-have-a-girlfriend-he-can-be-honest-with sounds like it's progress. (He doesn't want to hide his urges.) But he repeats the cycle with three new girlfriends and you see that he's not learning. He's just thinking up naughty and then giving in. It's really about hooking someone else into watching his drama. I finally caught on when, with the third girl, he freelances all night, then comes home to Christa and kisses her and says he wants to try to kick the habit. That's his whole problem. He doesn't want to kick anything or anybody except whomever is his lover of the moment. It gets boring when you see he's going nowhere and he succeeds again in alienating yet another woman who started out being understanding. No that's not enough for this guy. It's "Come watch me," then "Help me quit," then it's "Don't you go out and do this stuff because I'll get jealous." Enough. I could not finish watching the thing. This film is a lot like Henry Jaglom's films. They're all about Jaglom.

I gave it more than one star because his story sounded worth hearing for about a half hour.

This film chronicles director Zahedi's addiction to prostitutes over the course of many, many years, and presents an honest and realistic portrait of sexual compulsions and fetishes. Of interest as well are Zahedi's attempts to reconcile his oft violent sexual fantasies with his various attempts at healthy relationships. One has to wonder how true to life Zahedi's portraits of his relationships are, except maybe for his final relationship, but they make for an interesting depiction of dysfunctional and atypical 'romantic' relationships either way.

The film's humor genuinely works. As many moving, sad, and let's be honest- pathetic moments there clearly were in Zahedi's life, he is able to portray them in a humorous self-deprecating light, which is testament to his talent as a filmmaker, because these events could very easily have made one of the most disturbing and real pure dramas put on film, but Zahedi's Allen-like psychological self-obsession comes across as endearing and funny. That's not to say the film's more dramatic moments, such as its beautiful, understated, ending don't work, because they do, but the film's quality is increased by the humorous content

The film is obviously low-budget and essentially a mockumentary, so don't look for any great moments of technical film-making, but Zahedi is no bore and certainly a solid directo who knows how to pace a film. A lot of people have a problem with Zahedi's behavior towards women, but it appears that by the end of the film he is happy and content in a healthy relationship.

Caveh Zahedi's "I Am a Sex Addict" is far from a perfect film, but it's honest, entertaining, unique, well-made, and worth your time.

8/10

While films like Capote, Brokeback Mountain and A History of Violence were gathering awards, this film managed to win at the only awards ceremony that has a category of "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You." Caveh Zahedi, who wrote, directed and starred in the quirky like film shows great promise and the film was very enjoyable. If you are a Woody Allen fan, then you will definitely enjoy Zahedi.

Sure, it is low budget, and it changes from monologue to docudrama to montage - it is really not hard to follow as we are exploring Zahedi's addiction to prostitutes and the effect on his relationships. This avant garde comedy will keep you interested, if only to see what he will say to his next girlfriend.

What was the model of the car he was driving? Didn't get the model......

You would think the lead could do a better job of acting since he's just playing himself, for God's sake, and you would think a movie with this title would not put you to sleep. I rented this as a fairly liberal person and a fan of "Sex and the City," almost expecting to laugh at whatever society considers "excessive" sexuality.

Caveh has an irritating voice on so many levels-that childish lisp, that flat delivery and the self-indulgence of the content itself. Am I supposed to share his offense that he inadvertently hired a porn star to play his ex-wife? What was he doing surfing those websites when he found out, anyway, who is he to judge? My reaction to Caveh was mostly disgust with his self-absorption, ranging to being absolutely CREEPED OUT when he groped receptionists' breasts at massage parlors. Just when I thought the "Eeewwww" factor couldn't get worse, I listened to him reminisce how much he enjoyed himself by groping and getting thrown out, how it was a big entertaining game for him. Also listening to him describe his rough-up a prostitute fantasies to a friend, who did not react with any normal response. Where does he find these people?

This was the first time ever I felt like asking Blockbuster for my money back.

Do documentaries or mockumentaries get any worse than this? If you've read the other reviews then you know the focus: a self-involved film maker wants to introduce you to his sexual habits.

Unfortunately, his sexual habits aren't very interesting or original or even entertaining. There isn't much sex on display here, just a lot of talk about sex, and you've heard it before. He does a lot of agonizing about his relationships, and possibly doesn't know himself that he just comes off as a fool. Not in a funny way, either, but in that way where you're glad he doesn't live near you, or isn't involved with anyone you know.

Mainly it's a self-indulgent documentary about his past sexual relationships with nothing interesting to carry it. An extended version of the average high schooler telling you about how he scored with the cheerleader. You won't believe it here, either.