The Best Senior Sex Movies and TV Shows
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Not seeking it out in the first place, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the growing number of movies and TV series featuring older actors in romantic and erotic storylines.
More entertainment media is available that portrays seniors as complex individuals with desires and needs that extend past stereotypes often associated with sex and aging.
The following are what I consider the best senior sex storylines in movies and TV that focus on sexual intimacy and relationships between seniors. Please note, there are minor spoilers ahead to let you in on what type of romantic relationships and sexual content to expect.
The Kominsky Method
The Netflix TV series “The Kominsky Method” stars Michael Douglas, who plays aging actor and acting coach Sandy Kominsky, and his widower friend played by Alan Arkin.
With the male lead actors in the 70s and 80s, “The Kominsky Method” represents sexual intimacy between seniors in a realistic and nuanced way. The show addresses a variety of themes related to sex and aging, including friendship, love, loss, and health issues.
In the first season, Sandy’s friend and ex-wife Roz, played by Kathleen Turner, explores her sexuality and desire for intimacy with a younger man. The show portrays their sexual relationship as consensual and enjoyable, challenging the notion that sexuality is only for the young. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are also known for acting together in the 1989 film The War of the Roses.
In addition to seeing Michael Douglas in bed with actress Nancy Travis, we see Alan Arkin’s intimate relationship with a character played by Jane Seymour.
In season two, the series does not fail to disappoint and continues to deliver some of the best senior sex storylines.
In terms of senior sex education, “The Kominsky Method” addresses sexual health and aging in a thoughtful and mature way. For example, when Michael Douglas’s character visits a doctor for a prostate exam, he receives a lesson on the importance of sex in your senior years. The doctor recommends that older men should continue to engage in sexual activity as a way to help maintain physical and emotional health.
Grace and Frankie
The Netflix TV series “Grace and Frankie” follows two women in their 70s, played by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, whose husbands leave them for each other. As they navigate their new lives as single and sexual older women, they also explore new romantic relationships with men their own age.
“Grace and Frankie” includes scenes of mature women exploring new sexual experiences with their partners and discussing issues related to sexuality and aging. For example, season three follows the two older women as they launch a sexual wellness startup and design a sex toy for seniors. The vibrator has a bumpy grip and is intended as a sexual aid for people with dexterity issues or arthritis in their hands.
Our Souls At Night
Our Souls at Night is a 2017 American romantic drama film directed by Ritesh Batra and based on the novel of the same name by Kent Haruf. The film stars Jane Fonda and Robert Redford as Addie Moore and Louis Waters, two widowed neighbors who have lived in the same small town for decades.
The film offers one of the best senior sex storylines and is a touching portrayal of two aging individuals who find love and companionship later in life.
After losing their spouses and living alone for years, Addie and Louis begin a platonic relationship that gradually turns romantic. They start spending their nights together and sleeping in the same bed for company, sharing stories, memories, and dreams.
As their relationship deepens, they face various challenges, including disapproving reactions from their families and the gossip of their small town community. However, they remain determined to make the most of the time they have left and not let anyone else dictate their happiness.
One evening, Addie and Louis decide to spend a night together at a hotel in a nearby town. They do this to have some privacy and time away from the small town where they both live and where everyone knows their business. It’s also an opportunity for them to take their relationship to the next level.
When they arrive at the hotel, they are both nervous and unsure about what to expect. They awkwardly make their way to their room, which is tastefully decorated with a large bed and soft lighting. They share a glass of wine and some snacks before retiring for the night.
As they lie in bed together, they talk about their pasts, their regrets, and their hopes for the future. Despite their initial hesitations, they eventually give in to their attraction and share a tender and intimate moment together.
The scene is portrayed with sensitivity and respect for the characters and their age, and it highlights the idea that intimacy and love can exist at any age, and that it’s never too late to take a chance on love.
Elsa and Fred
Elsa & Fred portrays sexual intimacy between the two main characters, who are in their 70s.
This movie stars Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer as two seniors who fall in love in their golden years. The film explores the challenges and joys of finding love later in life.
Last Tango in Halifax
This British series “Last Tango in Halifax” follows two septuagenarians, played by Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid, who reconnect after 60 years apart and decide to get married. The show explores the challenges of blending two families and dealing with past traumas.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
In the 2011 film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, one of the characters expresses a desire to reignite her sex life after the death of her husband.
This movie follows a group of British retirees who move to a retirement hotel in India. As they adjust to their new surroundings, they form new friendships and romances, including one between two characters played by Judi Dench and Bill Nighy.
It also stars Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Tom Wilkinson, and Penelope Wilton.
The film celebrates the idea that it’s never too late to start over and embrace new experiences, even in our later years. It also explores themes of aging, mortality, and the search for purpose and meaning in life.
The sequel “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” was released in 2015. It continues the story of the retirees and their adventures in India, as they explore new opportunities for love and personal growth.
Although some people have praised the movies for portraying sex and love in golden years, some critics say the sequel conflated libido with love.
Jenna Owsianik is a Canadian journalist and sex tech industry expert. She is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sex For Every Body®.
Her expertise covers state-of-the-art sex technologies and the major fields driving innovations in intimacy: robotics, virtual reality, remote sex (teledildonics), haptics, immersive adult entertainment, human augmentation, virtual sex, and sexual health.
A trained journalist with a Masters of Journalism from The University of British Columbia, Jenna’s reporting has appeared on Futurism.com, Al Jazeera English, CTV British Columbia online, CBS Sunday Morning, CBS 60 Minutes, Global News, and CKNW Radio in Canada and the United States.
