Raunchy sex comedies appear to be making a comeback in Hollywood, and over the past year, Zoey Deutch has become one of the genre’s most recognizable faces. After leading The Threesome, she returns with Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, cementing what could jokingly be called the era of “ZEX Comedies.”
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass follows small-town hairstylist Gail Daughtry (Zoey Deutch), who is just weeks away from marrying her high school sweetheart, Tom (Michael Cassidy). The two have been each other’s celebrity crushes ever since their “Wildcat Stars” glory days, and they’re the kind of endearingly corny couple whose years together have produced affectionate nicknames like “my bagel and my cream cheese.” Their relationship is tested, however, when Tom finally cashes in his celebrity hall pass, leading to an unexpected fling with “Rachel from Friends” (a hilarious cameo from Jennifer Aniston)
Determined to even the score, Gail accompanies her hairstylist coworker and best friend, Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), to Los Angeles for a hair convention. A work trip quickly transforms into a chaotic mission of revenge as Gail sets out to use her own celebrity sex pass with Jon Hamm. The result is a fast-paced comedy that mixes outrageous hijinks, celebrity wish fulfillment, and relationship drama into one wildly unpredictable ride.
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass cleverly reimagines The Wizard of Oz through the lens of an outrageous sex comedy. Gail is essentially a modern-day Dorothy, while her loyal best friend Otto serves as her Toto. Arriving in Los Angeles wearing a yellow top, Gail travels by yellow taxi instead of following the Yellow Brick Road, trading Oz for the glitz of Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard. As she embarks on her mission to connect with Mad Men star Jon Hamm, she encounters an eccentric lineup of characters, including Ludovica (Sabrina Impacciatore), a larger-than-life mob matriarch who acts as the film’s “Wicked Witch of the West Coast” while pursuing a contraband-filled briefcase.
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is delightfully ridiculous and refreshingly self-aware. At one point, Gail even remarks, “Utterly pointless premise,” breaking the fourth wall to acknowledge just how exaggerated and absurd the story is. That wink to the audience only enhances the comedy, inviting viewers to embrace the film’s over-the-top nature rather than question and overthink its logic.
The film parades in unexpected A-list appearances, whether playing exaggerated versions of themselves or popping up in brief supporting roles. The celebrity cameos are impeccably timed and consistently funny, combined with exaggerated performances, and rapid-fire jokes. Gail Daughtry is more interested in consistently delivering laughs rather than making profound statements.That said, the story occasionally loses its footing; with multiple subplots, celebrity encounters, and thematic ideas competing for attention, the narrative can become overcrowded.
If Zoey Deutch continues to make raunchy, offbeat comedies about navigating awkward hookups or journeying over the rainbow to her famous crush, she’ll cement a genre that perfectly complements Hollywood. Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is now playing in theaters
CHRISKRATING★★★
