By the Sea (2015)

In 2004, Kevin Spacey wrote, directed and starred in Beyond the Sea. More than 10 years later, Angelina Jolie did the same with By the Sea (2015) featuring Brad Pitt. Yes, this R rated flick includes Angelina’s then-husband so it’s a bit of a family affair — “affair” being the operative word since the two play a married couple on screen. Set in the 1960s, former dancer Vanessa (Jolie) and celebrated author Roland (Pitt) travel to a small seaside town in France where he can pen a new novel. Yet it’s tough to get any work done since Roland must deal with the marital problems he and Vanessa have. If that’s not distracting enough, their neighbors engage in some entertaining bedroom antics. Or perhaps it’s Vanessa who is up to hijinks since she peeks at the young couple through a hole in the wall. As such, she (and we) get to see Léa (Mélanie Laurent) mounting François (Melvil Poupaud). In fact, their skintastic act showcases his abs, sack and shaft! Later, Vanessa invites Roland to watch them so he (and we) can glance at the nude booty on François. Talk about having a room with a view! Not to be upstaged, Mr. Pitt steams up the screen when he dons a muscle T-shirt. Clothes make the man! The movie also includes Richard Bohringer and Mr. Poupaud’s bulging briefs. Even though By the Sea was a box office miss, it was a huge success with spank banks on land and by the sea!