Review: ‘Venus Talk’ a convincing romp

The Korean import “Venus Talk” starts off as a light and lively look at the sex lives of 40ish female friends before eventually giving way to something deeper and more thoughtful. It’s an enjoyable, often amusing, occasionally touching ride that may not break much new ground but still satisfies its modest goals.

The three “Venusians” here each find themselves at a romantic crossroads early in the film. Hae-Young (Jo Min-soo), a single mother and cafe owner, wants the security of marriage from her wedding-averse carpenter boyfriend (Lee Geung-young). Then there’s long-married Mi-Yeon (Moon So-ri), who discovers that her thrice-weekly bedroom demands are overwhelming her Viagra-dependent husband (Lee Sung-min). Meanwhile, Shin-Uye (Uhm Jung-hwa), a cable TV producer, starts dating a hunky, much younger coworker (Lee Jae-yoon), only to find that the fling may have legs.

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The ways in which these strong, attractive women navigate their situations, individually and as a troika, provide the engine for this convincing gambol, which is also punctuated by some frank — and frankly athletic — horizontal activity.

Director Kwon Chil-in nicely balances the three main story lines, even if a bit of judicious cutting could have tightened — and heightened — the film’s momentum.

Additionally, the knowing script by Lee Soo-ah offers an even-handed portrayal of its women without overdoing the male-bashing quotient. To that end, can “Mars Talk” be far behind?

“Venus Talk.” No MPAA rating; in Korean with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes. At CGV Cinemas, Los Angeles.