Autoerotic (2011)

Joe Swanberg and Adam Wingard’s *Autoerotic* (2011) offers a candid and often audacious peek into the private sexual lives of America’s urbanites. The film intricately follows four interconnected Chicago couples as they courageously explore the boundaries of self-pleasure and sexual liberation, pushing both personal comfort zones and societal expectations. Through a unique blend of outrageous, often uncomfortable comedy and unflinching, in-your-face portrayals of sex, *Autoerotic* insightfully illuminates the complexities, anxieties, and surprising joys found within modern intimacy and individual sexual exploration. While a significant departure from the tightly-wound genre thrillers and horror films Adam Wingard would become widely known for, *Autoerotic* remains a fascinating and essential entry on a "Best Adam Wingard Movies" list for its demonstration of his early versatility. Co-directing with mumblecore pioneer Joe Swanberg, this film showcases Wingard’s willingness to experiment outside the confines of traditional genre filmmaking, proving he's not solely defined by his later, more stylized aesthetic. It highlights his ability to handle nuanced character interactions and naturalistic dialogue—skills that would subtly inform the character-driven elements of his later genre successes like *The Guest* or *You're Next*—making it a crucial piece in understanding the full scope of his directorial range and evolution.