Sugarlove (2021)

On the surface, everything in the lives of academic couple Julia and Patrick Schindler seems to be going perfectly: their relationship appears effortless, and their careers and finances are secure. But there are discrepancies. Despite Patrick’s best efforts, Julia no longer has much interest in sex. When she discovers the Sugarlove website on Patrick’s computer, they reach an arrangement: Julia, a practicing psychotherapist, has no objection to Patrick having an affair, as long as no deep feelings are involved and it does not affect their marriage. The terms of his relationship with Claire Becker are clear: each has their own life and does what they enjoy. But as they grow increasingly fond of each other, Claire is no longer satisfied with her role as the outsourced “pussy” keeping the marriage intact, and begins to intrude more deeply into the couple’s lives. She visits Patrick at the university where he is a professor, and his assistant catches the two of them having sex in an office chair; she books a counseling appointment with Julia; and she gets the couple’s daughter to hire her as a caregiver for Patrick’s granddaughter. The arrangement creates tension between Julia and Patrick. He promises to end things, but Claire refuses to accept that. During a car ride, she leaves him by the side of a country road. A spare key to Kristina’s parents’ apartment gives Claire the opportunity to do some minor vandalism there. Horrified, Julia gets Claire’s address from Patrick. A former lover whom Claire had dumped has turned up there. Thinking he is Patrick, holding a bouquet in front of the peephole, she opens the door. As he rapes Claire, Julia rings the doorbell. Thinking it is Patrick, the former lover briefly opens the door and says that Claire is asleep. When he resumes the rape, Julia hears Claire whimpering and forces the door open with a crowbar from the car. The attacker interrupts his assault again, and Claire manages to grab her pepper-spray gun from under the bed and shoot him in the face. As he angrily beats Claire, Julia aims the rounded end of the crowbar at his skull. The attacker staggers out of the apartment. Julia hears a crash in the street and sees a taxi driver and Patrick standing beside the man who has been run over. The final scene shows the couple being questioned at the police station.