I Am A Sex Addict

Most people would be ashamed to admit they were sexaholics, but Zahedi, who seems to revel in publicly fessin’-up, plays himself in I Am a Sex Addict, an explicit tell-all which recounts al the sordid details of a very messy life.

Caveh Zahedi had hoped to make his mark on the world when he graduated from Yale University about a quarter century ago. But the aspiring young filmmaker fell prey to an overpowering sex urge which would ruin two marriages and repeatedly sidetrack his attention from his promising career.

Most people would be ashamed to admit they were sexaholics, but Zahedi, who seems to revel in publicly fessin’-up, plays himself in I Am a Sex Addict, an explicit tell-all which recounts al the sordid details of a very messy life. Part documentary, part re-enactment, the movie features actual film footage of several of the real-life women he’s slept with, plus actresses like porn star Rebecca Lord.

Narrated by Caveh as a series of flashbacks, it opens optimistically enough, in the present, just as he is about to tie the knot for a third time. However this flashback flick really starts in 1984, when, against his better judgment, he first sought solace in the arms of the proverbial prostitute with a heart of gold (and chest of silicone). Although he confesses to feeling empty and depressed immediately after satisfaction, he still found himself hooked on whores.

He became so obsessed with his next score that he behaved in a variety of self destructive ways which served to sabotage his once-promising career. What makes this movie so compelling is its star’s Woody Allen-like inclination towards introspection, for he has an appealing way of making himself vulnerable while over-analyzing his pathetic obsession. This is not to suggest that he emerges as a likable, or even as a sympathetic character in the end. At least he’s finally made a decent movie, an autoerotic train wreck you can’t avert your eyes away from.

Excellent (4 stars). Unrated. Running time: 98 minutes. Studio: IFC Home Video

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