Rated 15 in the UK, unknown in the USA, but most likely R or PG13 for brief language, adult themes and brief nudity. OTHER TITLES: MANFAST: 100 DAYS, 100 NIGHTS, ZERO SEX? (Germany); 100 DAYS OF ABSTINENCE (Greece); NO SEX ZONE (Hungary); MARATONO DO SEXO Portuges for SEX MARATHON (title in Brasil), AVOIDING MEN (Russia)

I first heard of this film either in 2000 or 2001, and I waited a long time before I finally got sick of waiting and just bought a UK DVD off Ebay. It was only recently that I discovered that my PC, which I've had since 2001, plays any region/code DVD!!! I really need to get out more...

I just watched MANFAST and I'm really pleased...it was worth the wait. It's a really fun, smart, funny, offbeat comedy about four college women in Tallahassee FL, a not huge, not small college town.

The women are post-modern feminists. They believe in being just as free to have casual, commitment-free sex as men are (even though sometimes they wake up and can't believe who they ended up in the sack with!). They're on the pill, and not about to let anyone believe that they're living in a MAN'S world. Their sentiments are published in their feminist statement magazine called Biotch. They have been in publication for a year now, their fanbase reaching as far away as New York, and their enthusiasm for their 'zine has not diminished, even though sometimes they have the familiar feeling that all they publish is a derivative piece of junk, and of course, they dream of their creation gaining popularity all over the nation, or even the world.

The ladies live in a big pink campus house, which is one of the funnest, most colorful production sets I've seen on film in a while. Everything is so girly, the pink phone, the lilac walls, the seafoam green toilet, the feathered fringe draped over lampshades and doorways...It's a cheerful atmosphere for a cheerful movie. You even get a flashback of the four women as they move into their House and decorate the drab place until it is as bright and wildly colorful as they are.

What I found surprising though, was that these four character are all interesting, funny, smart, and very likeable people. There is Kate (Kate Norby), a somewhat ditzy blonde who wears glittery tops and glittery eye makeup and sings for a swing band called Soular System; Alex (Klea Scott) a beautiful and devilishly naughty black goddess who draws the comics for Biotch and aspires to be the next great painter; JJ (Jenny Judelle), the copyrighter who has a curious love for boybands and whose boyfriend's parents don't approve of her even though she tries to play the part of the simple Southern debutante; and Taylor (LaLa Sloatman), JJ's older sister, the 'zine's founder who writes the articles and has her own relationship issues with her boyfriend Matt (BoJesse Christopher).

I would have liked to see some of the early articles of Biotch discussed or shown, to see what these women had on their minds, but there are articles seen on screen later, pertaining to the "project" they are about to take part in.

The girls' fun threatens to end when they are served with an eviction notice, because they've not paid rent lately. All their money has gone into the magazine. They're broke, and they've already borrowed a lot of money from Kate's dad (Bruce Davison), who is wondering when they'll pay him back. All seems lost, until their friend Jessica (Annabelle Gurwitch), a womens' studies major, makes a proposal to them. In order to earn her degree, Jessica needs to conduct a study on women in difficult and unusual situations. After pitching a few hundred ideas to Professor Mason (Eve Plumb), Jessica finally comes up with something that meets with the instructor's approval: Having a group of heterosexual women refuse all contact with men for 100 days (or a little over 3 months). If circumstances were normal, the Babes, all who enjoy healthy, casual college sex lives, would not dream of going on such an outlandish "fast", but since Jessica is offering them her grant money, $20,000, and they desperately need it, they decide that their magazine, which has been something they're all very proud of, is worth giving men up temporarily.

Their fast is covered in their magazine, which is, to their delight, gaining notoriety all over the country, but although the experiment is liberating and empowering, it's not without its challenges. Kate has to say goodbye to her male bandmates, but ends up joining a college rock girl band called Daddy's Grrl; Alex tries to rise up out of her disappointment of not being accepted into art school, and begins painting furiously; JJ misses her boyfriend Paul (Chad Slagle) who tempts her with his boyband impersonation (one of many funny moments); and Taylor has to fight off the temptation of Mica (Jeremy Sisto), a photographer who has moved back to town to do a magazine assignment.

If you're a Sisto fan, you won't be disappointed. Although his role isn't terribly huge, it's pretty significant to the story, and again, it's a fresh character, one you've likely not seen before in any of his films. Upon meeting Mica, Taylor falls almost immediately in love and lust with his dazzling beauty, his expressive, bright eyes, his amazing smile. Even his movements are graceful and strangely silent, as if he is too dreamy to be quite real. To boot, he has an unbearably sweet personality. The role reminds me of many of the traditionally female love interest characters you see in movies, on the sidelines, yet such a presence, breezing into Taylor's life, interrupting her all-woman, no-man plans, scattering her iron-willed determination, the very mention of his name leaving her blushing and speechless. As she bumps into him on several occasions, he is confused by her behavior, wondering why she won't speak to him, what he might have done to offend her. He's so adorable in his confusion that Taylor looks like she could give in any minute, and to hell with the 'zine!

Later, after he learns about the fast and its rules (no touching, flirting, sex or even talking to men) Mica proves to be different than most or all of the other male characters in that he never does wolf-whistles or cat-calls, and never pokes fun at Taylor and her friends' project. His admiration and interest in Biotch seem sincere. He stands off to the side, quietly routing for Taylor and helping her out of binds from time to time.

The manfast becomes enveloped in a whirlwind of controversy, and has gained national attention from talk show hosts Gloria Day (Erin Gray), who admires the girls and their cause, and Johnny Shore (Ethan Embry) who, like most of the male characters, laugh hysterically at the fast and believes is doomed to failure because women just can't live without men for very long. Some of the other guys in the Babes' vicinity are just as skeptical, especially Taylor's ex, Matt, and pal Colin (Kimo Wills). These two's scenes are really funny as they talk about seducing JJ by pressing their bare asses up against her office window, and launching their own WHEN MEN WERE MEN movement. There are also those who not only doubt the girls' resolve, but would actually try to thwart their efforts, especially Kirk (Kirk Fox) who seems to want Taylor romantically, and is scorned by her lack of interest.

After Mr. Iris learns about the study his daughter is participating in, he seems determined to undermine the girls as well, offering $1,000,000 to the first man who can successfully seduce one of the fasters. One can only assume Kate's Dad is really angry at her for not making it into the business school he hoped she'd go to, and for not paying back the Biotch money.

There are a few surprises, which add to the fun unpredictability of the story. There comes a moment when you wonder if a particular character was just a wolf in sheep's clothing.

I don't know why some people didn't like this film, or why it's not well known (and of course why is it not out on DVD in the USA yet?). I read comments about it having bad acting, amateurish actors, etc. I didn't see anything of the kind. The story is offbeat and interesting, and the cast has just as many men as women, so it can't be called a chick flick. Even if the cast was all or mostly women, it's too clever and fun, and there are no "chicky" moments of blubbering or whining or bitterness. The motives behind the fast have nothing to do with hatred of men or becoming lesbians because too many men have wronged them. The only characters who feel that the womens' motives are false are the men who don't understand. It's curious how Mica seems to get it, and all the other guys are feeling all immasculated and castrated and that sort of thing.

The film shows women as being strong individuals who aren't defined by men, even though they like men very much and enjoy heterosex. These four women are all very well-drawn characters, a couple of them ditzy, but none of them stupid.

I think maybe this is just not the kind of film most people take to. Not enough action? Not enough "big" stars? No orange-fire explosions? I really enjoyed it though. I'd give it a letter grade of A+.

If you're from the US and sick of waiting, be like me, go the eBay route, (make sure you have a multicode DVD player of course!) because I still have no clue as to when it will be out on DVD here. The official site has disappeared as of May or June 2006, so no telling what's going on.

CAST:

Lala Sloatman as TAYLOR RUSSELL

Jeremy Sisto as MICA JESSUP

Klea Scott as ALEX REGRANDE

Jenny Judelle as JJ RUSSELL

Kate Norby as KATE IRIS

Annabelle Gurwitch as JESSICA FRANKEL

Kirk Fox as KIRK

Kimo Wills as COLIN

BoJesse Christopher as MATT

Chad Slagle as PAUL

Max Frauchiger as TODD

Lin Shaye as MARGE

Bruce Davison as RUPERT IRIS

Erin Gray as GLORIA DAY

Ethan Embry as JOHNNY SHORE

Eve Plumb as PROFESSOR MASON

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