Liberated: The New Sexual Revolution

A mediocre documentary, Liberated: The New Sexual Revolution is the same old story repackaged. The filmmakers follow a couple of groups of college kids on Spring Break at Panama City Beach, Florida, and get their opinions on, and experiences with, the modern hookup culture and the new sexual mores. Additionally, there are interviews with psychologists and other professionals, who offer up explanations for the attitudes and behaviors of the current generation. Yet in the end, despite all the teens’ talk of the casual sex culture and new mindsets, it all comes back to the tried and true effects of peer pressure and the need to find esteem and affirmation. In a way it’s reassuring, but it also seems like a cop-out. Also, the framing device of children playing innocently on the beach comes off as rather forced and awkward. While it delivers some interesting information about today’s youth culture, Liberated: The New Sexual Revolution doesn’t really have anything new to say about it.