In the feature directorial debut from writer-director Jonathan Schey, “Everybody Wants to Fuck Me,” Taron Egerton portrays Adam, a character who embodies the archetype of the modern “nice guy.” Adam meticulously cultivates a persona of progressive sensitivity: he works at an all-female gallery, remains hyper-aware of his cis white male privilege, and signals his values through curated lifestyle choices. He is a regular at Hackney cafes with a copy of Edna O’Brien’s “Country Girl,” decorates his apartment with a “Cléo from 5 to 7” poster, carries a Mubi tote bag, and even named his dog after a member of the band Haim. To the outside world, he is the ideal partner, but beneath the surface, he is a calculated fraud.
The film opens with a perfectly executed meet-cute. Adam encounters an unsuspecting Londoner, played by Mia McKenna-Bruce, with whom he shares an immediate rapport—dancing to Troye Sivan and discussing their mutual appreciation for “Before Sunset.” They end up back at his flat, but the intimacy is fleeting. The following morning, despite Adam claiming he is “obsessed” during their encounter and creating artisanal latte art, the dynamic is brittle. Whether it is his annoyance over a mug placed without a coaster or a self-described “bojangled headspace,” it becomes clear that Adam’s charm is part of a recurring, hollow routine.
His social circle includes his exhausted best friend, Emma, played by Charly Clive, who provides a grounded counterpoint to Adam’s antics. She jokingly labels his behavior “romantic terrorism,” yet their friendship is built on a cycle of enabling, even allowing him to abruptly end outings if he spots another target. Adam soon sets his sights on Sofia, portrayed by Jessica Henwick, who is initially skeptical of his polished dating profile and dismissive of his performative nature. However, she eventually invites him to her home, leading to a pivotal, mysterious incident where Adam is knocked unconscious. When he wakes, Sofia has vanished.
Following that night, Adam senses a chilling shift in his environment. While he was never lacking in female attention, the dynamic transforms into an aggressive, unsettling obsession. Colleagues laugh too intently at his mediocre jokes, and strangers on the subway stare at him with intense scrutiny. Even his dog, Alana, begins to treat him with suspicion. The film expertly transitions from a social comedy into a dark, stalker-inspired thriller, evoking comparisons to the social commentary of “Get Out” and the 2017 “Shitty Media Men” list, though it leans more heavily into its comedic elements than similar genre entries.
Produced by Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment, the film serves as a sophisticated evolution of the aesthetic seen in projects like “Promising Young Woman.” Schey effectively captures a gritty, breathing version of London, avoiding the artificial polish often found in indie cinema. While the film occasionally leans on convenient plot devices during its final act, it succeeds largely due to Egerton’s fearless performance. He navigates Adam’s descent without resorting to caricatures or predictable “men’s rights” frustrations, even delivering a compelling monologue about the exhausting labor of being a “nice guy.”
Ultimately, “Everybody Wants to Fuck Me” marks a notable step for Egerton as he moves away from conventional leads toward more complex, edgy character work. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, distinguishes itself with a sharp script and a willingness to be genuinely biting. While it occasionally stumbles over its own third-act explanations and a final-scene trope, its ability to weave sharp-toothed social satire with genuine thriller tension positions it as a smart, unsettling addition to the contemporary social thriller landscape. The report also notes that the post-Get Out surge has been far more miss than hit and while this is a smarter and sharper addition (a crude sell would be Get Out meets the viral Shitty Media Men list of 2017), it does still grapple with some recur. The report also notes that right next to a character asking another “what now?” as credits fade, schey also leans on a last-scene trope that ranks among my least favourite ways to end a movie. The report also notes that and even as we follow his descent right alongside him, Schey skirts falling back on uneasy “you can’t say anything a, he doesn’t turn Adam into a full-throated bad guy but also manages to avoid softening who he really is. The report also notes that the ones who won’t take no for an answer and speak lasciviously about women to their mates, he’s not like those other guys. The report also notes that someone who has recently been finding his footing as an adult actor, whether as more conventional lead of Netflix’s excellent B-movie thriller Carry-On or as the less expected gonzo villain of Netflix’s mid B-movie thriller Apex, he’s played by Taron Egerton. The report also notes that one of which I genuinely don’t think anyone knows exists), he’s able to show just how much more he can do in edgier, stranger territory and how far he’s willing to go without blinking, but freed from streaming shackles (he’s also led two Apple dramas. The report also notes that for a while, Adam makes the most of it, his door revolving that much more than usual but the sweetness begins to sour as he realises there’s something more sinister going on when even his dog Alana starts giving him the eye.