Guys and girls, send the kids to bed. It’s time for some good ol’, erotic humiliation! Or cuckolding to be more specific… Now, if Reddit is not your source of foreplay inspiration and leaving the lights on is as kinky as it gets, CUCK will be quite the eye-opener. Director Adam Tyree’s provocative short is bulging with delicious authenticity, toe-curling awkwardness, and the type of sticky humour which is bound to leave a mark.

CUCK is the story of Emily and Colton, a couple who seem to have lost the spark in their relationship. Colton’s solution is to invite a third person into their bedroom to spice things up, but it doesn’t all quite go as planned (as is often the case when realising one’s fantasies). What follows is a series of painfully uncomfortable moments between the three, reflecting the adage ‘be careful what you wish for’, or in this case, ‘be careful if you ask your girlfriend to have sexual intercourse with another man, whilst you watch and masturbate’ (note my use of biological terminology in order to make this description as appropriate and unsexy as possible).   

There’s a wealth of information available if you want to learn more about what this particular erotic fantasy entails (a book titled Sperm Wars sounds particularly intriguing) but you get the gist of it. Rather than focusing on the ins and outs of cuckolding, Tyree investigates the possible consequences of partaking in someone else’s sexual fantasy, and how this might affect your relationship. The film is an intimate exploration of the subject, which takes the audience on an absorbing journey through the emotional spectrum.

“Life can be funny. And sad. And unbearably awkward. So can relationships. We hope our little film serves as a reminder of all of these”, Tyree explains and he manages to do just that, making the short at once personal and universal.

Whilst it’s hugely entertaining, CUCK is not without its flaws. The male actors’ performances feel a bit stiff at times and technically speaking I wasn’t entirely sold on the sex scene. However Rachel Alig, who plays Emily does an excellent job of portraying her character and is so convincing that you can’t help but empathise with her. Ultimately however, it’s Tyree’s ability to insert humour into the most inappropriate moments (the words ‘I’m gonna go in now…’ spring to mind), is what makes CUCK so hard to watch, but even harder to look away from.