Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass review: a daffy, divisive Hollywood send-up

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, David Wain’s R-rated comedy starring Zoey Deutch and Jon Hamm, opened in US cinemas on 10 July 2026, splitting critics between gleeful praise and complaints of scattershot execution.

TL;DR

• David Wain directs from a script co-written with Ken Marino, his longtime collaborator on Wet Hot American Summer.
• Rotten Tomatoes lists the film at 80% positive from 91 reviews, though several critics call the comedy uneven.
• Zoey Deutch‘s performance is the near-unanimous highlight, with reviewers split on whether the Wizard of Oz framing pays off.
• The film has no confirmed UK cinema date, so British audiences cannot yet see it on the big screen.

The premise: a Wizard of Oz for the celebrity-culture age

Small-town Kansas hairdresser Gail Daughtry, played by Deutch, is two weeks from marrying her fiancé Tom (Michael Cassidy) when they discuss their “celebrity sex pass” — the one famous person each could sleep with, penalty-free. When Tom acts on his pass with Jennifer Aniston, Gail travels to Los Angeles to even the score with her own pick, Jon Hamm.

Several reviewers have noted the film borrows its structure loosely from The Wizard of Oz, right down to Gail’s red shoes, framing her hunt for Hamm as a modern yellow-brick-road quest, according to Movie Marker.

What works: Deutch, and the sheer volume of jokes

Deutch’s comic timing is the film’s most consistently praised element. Movie Marker said her range has grown noticeably since her recent turns in Nouvelle Vague and Voicemails for Isabel, calling her performance a delight to watch, according to Movie Marker.

Roger Ebert’s review took a similar view of the film’s chaotic energy. It described the film as not quite firing on all cylinders, but said the gags land often enough that it’s hard to mind, according to RogerEbert.com.

Where it stumbles

Not every outlet was as forgiving. Some reviewers have said the celebrity-pass premise is introduced almost as an afterthought and never generates real conflict between Gail and Tom, leaving the film’s emotional stakes thin once the plot shifts into a broader mob-chase subplot.

Critics have also flagged the ensemble as a double-edged sword — the parade of A-list cameos playing themselves is a draw, but some reviewers felt it distracts from Gail’s actual journey rather than deepening it.

80% Fresh (91 reviews, average 6.6/10)
Source: Rotten Tomatoes

UK release still to be confirmed

There is no confirmed UK cinema date for the film as of publication. UK outlet Movie Marker lists its release status as “TBC” following the 10 July US opening, according to Movie Marker, meaning British audiences have no word yet on when — or on what platform — they’ll be able to see it.

Screen & Story’s take

At its best, the film is a fast, willingly stupid comedy carried by a game cast and Deutch’s commitment to the bit. At its worst, it mistakes volume for wit, piling on cameos and mob-movie plotting where a tighter script might have trusted the central joke to carry the film. Worth a watch for comedy fans, less so for anyone hoping the Wizard of Oz framing pays off with real insight.

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Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed 12 July 2026.