My Year Without Sex sounds like it could be the latest gross-out comedy geared at frustrated American college kids. Instead it’s a heartwarming Australian film starring acclaimed actors Sacha Horler and Matt Day.
The film tells the story of Natalie, a mother of two who unexpectedly suffers a brain embolism. Physical exertion is out, and that includes sex. It’s a depressing premise, but one that the film never dwells on. The outstanding soundtrack reflects that, with Banarama’s girl anthem “Venus” standing alongside jaunty indie ditties like Little Birdy’s “You’re Beautiful” and Bob Evans’ “Don’t Walk Alone.”
The soundtrack isn’t without its dark moments. Emily Hayes’ acapella take on the gospel classic “Soon I Will Be Done” is gutwrenching, and El Perro Del Mar’s “Glory To The World” isn’t much cheerier. But these sad moments are fleeting, reminding us that the clouds always part to show sunshine.
The soundtrack to My Year Without Sex is a texturally rich album, with equal measures of light and shade. It takes a gifted director like Sarah Watt to make a film with illness at its core easy to watch. And it takes a gifted person to create a soundtrack inspired by such a dramatic muse so listenable.