Photo courtesy of Summit EntertainmentJosh Zuckerman plays Ian, a teenager on a quest to lose his virginity in “Sex Drive.” The comedy opens in theaters today.Ian, played by Josh Zuckerman, is the lovable, good-hearted shy guy who has no confidence or luck with the ladies. His lack of confidence and timid demeanor make him an easy target for all to take advantage of. Never having had a girlfriend, Ian feels like he is the last virgin in Chicago and makes it his mission to change that.
One night, his flirtatious online relationship with “Miss Tasty,” played by Katrina Bowden, turns into the opportunity Ian’s been waiting for when she invites him to Knoxville, Tenn. and promises to make it worth the drive.
With encouragement from his charming and hilarious best friend Lance, played by Clark Duke, he decides to push aside his fears of rejection and embarks on a road trip to meet “Miss Tasty” and finally lose his virginity. Ian and Lance are joined by Felicia, played by Amanda Crew, as they drive for hours encountering strange and hilarious places and people.
Though the actors admit their real life road trips are not typically as wild as the one in the film, and usually are limited to trips to national parks, Holiday Inn’s and Bob’s Big Boy restaurants, they are all quite similar to their characters, Crew said.
The similarities between Crew and her character Felicia drew her to the role.
“This character had so many layers and no censor,” she said. “It was cool and really rare, and what I connected most with the character.”
During a phone conference, Zuckerman, Crew and Duke had their own opinions about the themes of the movie.
Zuckerman, whose character meets “Miss Tasty” on Facebook, talked about the recent popularity of meeting potential love interests on the Internet.
“It just seems like the evolution of dating and social communication,” he said. “It’s completely legitimate in my opinion and you can meet a whole bunch of different people. Maybe one of them is the pearl, the diamond in the rough.”
Duke took a slightly less optimistic view toward online dating.
“I wish everybody the best that it works out for them but it seems a little sketchy to me. I’m not really into the market for online dating, but in the eHarmony commercials, the people look really happy,” Duke said.
The pressure adolescents face to lose their virginity and the ups and downs that come with relationships are also issues the characters’ face.
“A lot of the pressure comes from the media and a rite of passage to lose your virginity, especially for men,” Zuckerman said. “I don’t feel that in any way it’s something you have to rush into. I know some people who have and regret it and some people are fine with how young they lost their virginity.”
Megan Laney can be reached at [email protected].
