The Voyeurs is possibly giving the erotic thriller a come-back. Roger Ebert used to call this kind of film the “rumpy-pumpy.” And there are indeed some pumps and bumps in this movie, as well as some unexpected turns (especially still in the midst of a pandemic) along with a fair amount of sex. In the end, the question remains: will the genre fully be here to stay? Michael Mohan, who penned and directed the thriller, certainly wants it to and he’s not hesitant to pay homage to the films that came before. Antonioni's 1966 Blow-Up is referenced both subtly and literally. Thus, here are your five screenwriting takeaways from a story about very sexy neighbors, The Voyeurs.
1. Female agency. Often times the erotic thriller used to uphold a cautionary tale: Give a woman too much power and she might destroy you. Think: Basic Instinct and Showgirls. In The Voyeurs, Sydney Sweeney as Pippa goes from innocent observer to active participant in the seemingly sordid lives of the neighbors with giant, industrial-size windows. The temptation of just watching is too overwhelming for her. When she and her boyfriend discover the man of the couple, Seb, (played by an ab-riddled Ben Hardy) is cheating on his wife Julia (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) she promptly inserts herself into their lives. Of course, Pippa’s boyfriend, Thomas (Justice Smith) disagrees with this choice and much of the film asks if Pippa’s choices are right or wrong, and if she’s even in control of her decisions to begin with.
2. Thrills. Of course, an erotic thriller needs thrills, and not just of the erotic kind. Most erotic thrillers have an element of murder, whodunnit, or mystery. Giving away the twists in The Voyeurs would be absolutely uncouth, but screenwriters may note that many of them fall in the last 20 minutes with little set-up or allowances even for guesses on the twist. Ultimately the lesson here seems, think before you look, or be careful who you decide to spy back on. Either way, the pay-off comes from an unexpected place.
3. Couple conflicts. One cannot have an erotic thriller without couples in the throes of likely unhealthy relationships. When Thomas of Thomas and Pippa (new residents of the trendy loft with a chalkboard perfect for drawing a cute cartoon of the young and in love) asks: “Am I not enough for you?” The audience immediately knows this couple is likely doomed. Things veer into further dangerous territory when Pippa gets up at all hours of the night to spy on the neighbors with her expensive binoculars. Not to mention the salacious couple that comes between Thomas and Pippa seem to be the victim of Seb’s philandering and Julia’s jealousy. The magic in these films comes with the complications of the duel narrative and how the problems of both relationships can become the most intertwined. The Voyeurs does this well, and twists its complications just as tightly as one might twist a knife in the back of a scorned lover.
4. A fun romp. Part of the joy of a good erotic thriller is that it hopefully doesn't take itself too seriously. The Voyeurs dances between intrigue, sex and winking at the camera. It knows what it is (some fun sex camp for a Friday night in) and that serves it very well. It’s the kind of movie that embraces a line like: “I didn’t think you’d come.” with the reply of: “I came.” — just a few frames after those uttering the lines were sexually romping hard on camera.
5. Art and privacy. Ultimately, The Voyeurs does ask some interesting open-ended questions about art and privacy and when we have a right to draw the curtain (and if that’s even possible in today’s society). In an Instagram world that constantly invites one to look to the camera for exploitation, pleasure, entertainment, and even to make a living, the questions feel endless: What constitutes crossing a line, how much privacy do you deserve if you’re a public figure, and can we ever really learn to look away?
Final Takeaway: The Voyeurs is part of a revival of a genre that has been too long lost. After a year of suffering a lack of connection it is a breath of fresh air to be invited into a world of pleasure, touch and sensation. It’s even more relatable to become acquainted with a character that thinks it’s all a little much, and another character that simply can’t get enough. In a mid-pandemic world, the escape is welcome and it’s still nice to watch people go overboard from the comfort of your couch.