Relax...It's Just Sex

This gay-oriented indie looks like another Jeffrey clone in the early going, with a sexually frustrated playwright (Mitchell Anderson) in the spotlight. But once it stops tripping over queer cinema clichés and gets cozy with all its characters (the cast includes Jennifer Tilly and Lori Petty), Relax slowly turns into a semi-engaging ensemble piece tracking the mixed-up love lives of a tight group of friends, while touching on several gay and lesbian social issues. At times it feels like Friends (with mathematically precise social and ethnic diversity), but when the actors find their characters' souls, the film becomes both funny and full of complex and forceful emotions. A strong optional purchase. (R. Blackwelder)