Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Raunchy comedy ribs Hollywood; sex, shootings, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass
What's the Story?
GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS follows bride-to-be Gail (Zoey Deutch), who's distraught after she catches her fiancé, Tom (Michael Cassidy), using his "celebrity sex pass"—i.e., permission given within a couple to have sex with a designated famous person if the opportunity presents itself. Determined to balance the scales so that she and Tom can move forward with their wedding, Gail transforms her trip to Hollywood for a hairdressers' convention into a quest to have sex with her own chosen celebrity: actor Jon Hamm.
Is It Any Good?
Building around the question "What if one partner actually used their celebrity sex pass?," the members of The State pack their latest project with outrageous star cameos and silly humor. One of their previous cult-comedy hits, Wet Hot American Summer, was clearly a parody of 1980s teen sex comedies, but with Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, teens may not even realize they're watching a satire of The Wizard of Oz. Still, even if you don't pick up on the clues—like Dorothy, Gail is a cheery girl from Kansas; best friend Otto's name is an anagram of "Toto"; the mafia henchmen are the flying monkeys; etc.—this risqué comedy plays as a spoof of Hollywood.
The travelogue aspect brings film fans inside the bubble, spotlighting the ridiculousness of Hollywood while poking at the entertainment industry with inside jokes. For instance, the growing pack of friends takes a side journey to visit talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), encounter a celebrity gatekeeper, and find a once-successful actor living in a small apartment in the Valley, happy to get work in a student film—all situations that will feel familiar to L.A. locals. Silly enough to provide entertainment with friends, there's just one answer for "What's the perfect place to watch Gail Daughtry?": There's no place like home.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Wizard of Oz is used as the way to frame the story in Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. What characters and story points did you recognize?
Did you notice any use of stereotypes in the film? How did they make you feel? Why are accurate depictions in the media important? Do you think using stereotypes in a comedy lessens the impact of negative depictions?
Talk about the film's violence. Was it shocking? Thrilling? Funny? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence? What about if it's depicted as silly?
Which celebrity cameos did you catch? How does the presence of celebrities help "sell" a movie to distributors—and, then, to audiences? Are you more likely to see a film if a celebrity you like is in it?
What is a "sex comedy"? Why is this a popular genre?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 10, 2026
- On DVD or streaming : August 11, 2026
- Cast : Zoey Deutch , John Slattery , Miles Gutierrez-Riley , Ben Wang , Jon Hamm
- Director : David Wain
- Studio : Sony Pictures Classics
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual content, violence/bloody images and language.
- Last updated : August 31, 2026
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