The directorial debut of Karen Maine, author of Obvious Child, tracks a coming of age sex comedy set at a Catholic high school retreat that proves the road to damnation is paved with masturbation. Any film that begins with a quote from scripture followed by the textbook definition of “tossing a salad” has my attention. It’s the latter act of sexual perversion that has made Alice (Natalia Dyer) the target of gossip among her classmates. In order to make this film work, a fine line needed to be trod, such that both Mike Pence supporters and smart people would think they were the film’s intended audience. Alas, many of the jokes — licking the lid of a chocolate pudding wrapper, squirt bottles filled with mayonnaise, etc. — run the risk of turning off both groups. The truths Alice discovers while at the seminar cause her to break free and take refuge in a women’s bar, where the owner hits her with a dose of education one never gets in the classroom, no matter the denomination. (2019) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.