How to Have Sex
Three British teenage girls set off on a sunlit break that promises carefree nights and a summer they can call their own. Tara, Skye, and Em arrive ready to soak up music, laughter, and first loves, believing the trip will help them figure out who they are. What starts as a glittering escape... Read more
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Streaming availability last verified: February 12, 2026
About How to Have Sex
Three British teenage girls set off on a sunlit break that promises carefree nights and a summer they can call their own. Tara, Skye, and Em arrive ready to soak up music, laughter, and first loves, believing the trip will help them figure out who they are. What starts as a glittering escape quickly tests their ideas about consent, desire, and friendship as alcohol and late nights blur boundaries. We watch as they navigate misreads, bravado, and quiet moments of doubt, with Paddy and Badger occasionally crossing paths. The film stays close to the trio, letting small choices reveal who they might become without forcing a single verdict.
Released in 2023, How to Have Sex is directed by Molly Manning Walker and based on an original screenplay. The film marks Walker's feature directing debut and a stark look at youth today.
Critics praise the performances of Mia McKenna-Bruce as Tara, Lara Peake as Skye, and Enva Lewis as Em, and note the film's restrained, observational tone that probes consent, pressure, and female friendship without sensationalism. It treats mistakes with care and keeps the focus on character truth rather than melodrama.
So far the title has sparked conversations about adolescent autonomy and responsibility, and it invites viewers to reconsider how sexual curiosity is portrayed on screen. Its clear-eyed approach may influence future British dramas about growing up.
What Viewers Are Saying
Three teen friends Tara, Skye and Em head to a sun drenched Crete holiday chasing a big first time and a louder sense of adulthood. It swings between wild party nights with hard hitting dance tracks and a grim subtext about consent, with Mia McKenna-Bruce delivering a standout turn as Tara. Some viewers say it lands its serious message about failed communication and the fallout of reckless choices, while others feel it drifts into familiar territory and never fully hooks you. All in all it feels like a bold debut that pushes into uncomfortable truths even when pacing and plot points aren’t brand new.
Details
- Release Date
- November 02, 2023
- Runtime
- 1h 31m
- Rating
- NR
- User Ratings
- 461 votes
- Type
- Movie
- Genres
- Drama
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Studio
- Film4 Productions +4 more
- Box Office
- $1,216,642
- External Links
- View on IMDB
Official Trailer
Cast
Mia McKenna-Bruce
Tara
Lara Peake
Skye
Enva Lewis
Em
Samuel Bottomley
Paddy
Shaun Thomas
Badger
Laura Ambler
Paige
Eilidh Loan
Fi
Daisy Jelley
Gemma
Elliot Warren
Male Club Rep
Anna Antoniades
Airport Announcer / Female Club Rep
Written by: Molly Manning Walker