Scenes of a Sexual Nature

Velocity/Thinkfilm

Despite the racy title, this gentle ensemble drama is necessarily rather tame, as it takes place entirely on Hampstead Heath, a popular London park. (Although there is a running joke about men lurking in the bushes.) On this sunny day, couples have come to take the air and fight, make up or break up. The sterling cast is led by Ewan McGregor as a gay man in an open relationship who still yearns for more; his conversation with his partner as they sun themselves begins casually and turn serious. Meanwhile, across the park other couples are discussing and negotiating their relationships. Sara and Pete are amicably discussing their divorce, Gerry and Julia are on an awkward blind date, Annie is sparring with a horny pickup artist, the widowed Iris strikes up a chat with the lonely Eddie, and so forth. These stories and more are woven together in a lovely, low-key patchwork, beautifully enacted by the top-notch cast that will be familiar to fans of British TV and Richard Curtis movies, including Eileen Atkins, Hugh Bonneville, Gina McKee and Andrew Lincoln. The film's small scale is part of its charm, and the only false note is a twee twist in one storyline that feels too grandiose to be placed amongst these quick snapshots. With the barriers between people a common theme in the vignettes, the film has a melancholy tone, but it's enlivened by many moments of sweetness and humor.