Film

Sex Tape

Name: Sex Tape
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2014
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper, Rob Lowe

Comedy

A couple's homemade sex tape goes viral, forcing them to retrieve it before their identities are exposed. It's a broad comedy built on embarrassment and chaos, leaning hard on physical humour and star power. For audiences who like their comedy messy, high-concept and unashamed.

TMDb rating

2.7

If you liked this

The Hangover2009

A group of friends in escalating trouble across Las Vegas, with the same structure of 'one night spirals into madness' and ensemble comedy that makes mistakes look fun and spontaneous.

But The novelty wore off years ago, and it hasn't aged particularly well in its gender politics or racial humour.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall2008

Jason Segel's career-best dramatic-comedy turn about heartbreak and growth, with the same DNA of mortification-based humour but more wit and actual character development underneath.

But It's genuinely tender in places, which means the comedy has to earn its laughs rather than coast on shock value.

Identity Thief2013

Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman on a road trip, riffing on shame and misunderstanding with a similar 'ordinary people in extraordinary chaos' energy that keeps the pace moving.

But The plot mechanics creak audibly, and it relies on contrivance in ways that strain credibility even for broad comedy.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Sex Tape

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Bridget Jones's Diary2001

Both use exposure and shame as the vehicle for a couple rediscovering attraction, but where Sex Tape uses it as chaos fuel, Bridget Jones uses it as a mirror.

Both films turn romantic embarrassment into their emotional core, but this one actually cares about its characters and uses humiliation to reveal something true about desire and self-knowledge instead of just mining it for laughs.

But It's a British rom-com, so the tone is drier and the pacing more measured—if you want pure chaos and speed, it feels slow.

Neighbors2014

Same year, same willingness to let adult situations get messy and stupid, with better comic timing and a genuine spark between its leads that makes the chaos feel earned.

But The frat-house humour skews adolescent, and if you're past that wavelength it lands thin.

The Other Woman2014

Cameron Diaz and other strong performers in a revenge-comedy that's unafraid of being silly, with similar stakes about exposure and female sexuality as its engine.

But The script does heavy lifting trying to make a thin premise stretch two hours, and the tonal whiplash between satire and sincerity doesn't always land.

We're the Millers2013

A ragtag group faking it as a family, mixing embarrassment humour with heart. Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston have genuine chemistry and timing that makes the ridiculous feel lived-in.

But It peaks early and coasts on charm, and the third act runs out of ideas and into plot.

The 40 Year-Old Virgin2005

Steve Carell's mortification-based comedy about intimacy and vulnerability, grounded in real friendship and affection even when the jokes get crude.

But It's longer than it needs to be, and some of the extended riffs feel like they're killing time between jokes.

Horrible Bosses2011

Ensemble comedians in increasingly bad situations, with a similar 'ordinary people doing stupid things' structure and genuine warmth between the leads.

But The plot is basically an excuse to string scenes together, and once you see it, there's not much reason to revisit it.

Just Go with It2011

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston faking a fake life, with the kind of low-stakes humiliation and exotic-location nonsense that keeps the energy buoyant and comfortable.

But It's aggressively pleasant and forgettable, asking almost nothing of you but also offering almost nothing new.

Catastrophe2015

Both start with a sexual decision that spirals, but Catastrophe asks what happens when the chaos ends and you have to actually live with another person.

A couple dealing with the aftermath of a one-night stand that changes everything, building something genuinely moving from mortification and mess. It finds tragedy and tenderness in the same space.

But It's an Irish dramedy that gets dark and sad; if you're here for unrelenting laughs, this will wrong-foot you completely.

Tropic Thunder2008

Both orbit the terror of exposure, but Tropic Thunder interrogates why we care what people think, whereas Sex Tape just runs from the embarrassment.

A film about people destroying their own images and reputations, built on the premise that exposure—literal and metaphorical—is the ultimate humiliation. It's savage and clever about vanity and fame.

But The humour is mean-spirited and the satire works best if you already know Hollywood. It's also much darker in register than Sex Tape.