A Movie with Attitude

(There are spoilers below, but I am leaving out the key revelation [and a few other surprises], in case you watch the film.)

I streamed a movie on Netflix called "A Complete History of My Sexual Failures" and I want to write about it but I got no idea where to go with it. So, stream of consciousness writing; first thing that comes into my head ...

This is a documentary made by a 30 year old (my guess) man who appears to live in Edinburgh, Scotland. It seems he has had dozens of girlfriends and apparently all of them have dumped him (he never admits to dumping any of them). He decides to interview as many as he can to determine why they dumped him. I don't get the impression he was attempting to better himself. I get the impression he was desperate for an idea, for something to do, and went with this.

This guy is a bum. It is clear he wasn’t always this way. He looks much better, and happier, in old photos. He doesn't come close to smiling till over three quarters into the film. He speaks in a bland, monotone voice. His personal hygiene is in disrepair. He clothes are ratty. His flat is a mess. He has no job. It would seem he has lived like this for three years or so. I asked myself if he showed zero personality on purpose; as a device for his little film. I going to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was truly a bum.

I have three sisters. Growing up with three sisters and listening to their opinions about boys and men I can look at a man and tell you if he is cute, or handsome, or whatever. I can see the potential in this guy. Even as a bum you can see a certain cuteness factor underneath. If he would just fix his hair, shave/trim his beard, and smile more, I can see what women might find attractive. Still, I can't believe how many women were willing to go out with him. He certainly doesn't exude confidence, but I guess if you keep asking then someone will say yes.

However, it seems to me that women in Great Britain/Europe are generally more polite, less judgmental (at least on first appearances), and more willing to give it a go than women in America. Perhaps that is my own cynical perspective talking, but I think not.

He met several women via MySpace (film released in 2008), all of them attractive. One of them went to bed with him, but he couldn’t get it up. This guy overdosed on Viagra, drank too much, and then ran around the city asking women if they would have sex with him and many women tolerated it politely or even handled it with good humor. One girl was actually interested. She got his number, texted him later, which he ignored at the time, but then they eventually got together by movies' end.

Mum and Dad, tell us the story of how you met! Well, children, I was roaming the streets drunk with an erection that wouldn’t go away asking random women to have sex and your mum took my phone number and we hooked up later.

What makes this movie worthwhile is that it encourages you to consider yourself and your own life. I find myself thinking of the movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Here is one boy's advice to another:

I just send out this vibe and I have personally found that women do respond. I mean, something happens.
- Well, naturally something happens. I mean, you put the vibe out to 30 million chicks, something is gonna happen.
That's the idea. That's the attitude.
-The attitude?

Yeah! The attitude dictates that you don't care whether she comes, stays, lays, or prays. I mean whatever happens, your toes are still tappin'. Now when you got that, then you have the attitude.

Basically, the secret is to not care, and to combine that with a certain level of aggressiveness. You are always working it, and never worrying about what happens, because you know you will eventually get a hit on your bait.

I guess I just don’t have the attitude. Probably never will.