The Opposite of Sex (1998) Plot Summary Explained

After her stepfather's funeral, Dede sees an opportunity to escape her troubled home life. She's described as self-centered and manipulative, and she knows Bill is living in a conservative Indiana suburb where she can potentially find stability, or at least a place to cause chaos. Bill represents both an escape route and a target for her disruptive tendencies.

Foreshadowing: The funeral scene establishes Dede's manipulative nature from the very beginning.

• Dede Truitt
• Bill
• half-brother
• funeral
• escape

Dede lies about being pregnant and tells Matt he's the father to manipulate him into staying with her. In reality, the child's true father is Randy Cates, Dede's past lover. This deception is part of Dede's pattern of using sex and lies to control people around her. She seduces Matt primarily to disrupt Bill's relationship and assert her influence over the household.

Foreshadowing: Dede's manipulation begins immediately upon arriving at Bill's house, as she inserts herself into his life.

• Dede
• Matt
• pregnancy lie
• manipulation
• Randy Cates

Bill and Lucia embark on a frantic chase because Dede's impulsive elopement with Matt threatens to expose Bill's lifestyle in a conservative community. Bill is a teacher living openly with a male partner, and the scandal of a young woman running away with him could damage his reputation and career. They're also concerned about the fabricated pregnancy lie and want to prevent further chaos.

Foreshadowing: Bill's careful life in the Indiana suburb hints at his vulnerability to scandal.

• Bill
• Lucia
• elopement
• chase
• scandal
• reputation

Jason Bock, Matt's former lover, threatens to expose a dark secret: he alleges that Bill assaulted him during his school days. This blackmail adds tremendous pressure on Bill, who is already trying to manage the fallout from Dede's manipulations. The threat hangs over Bill throughout the film, creating additional urgency for him to control the situation.

Foreshadowing: Bill's nervous behavior around Jason early in the film hints at this unresolved issue.

• Jason Bock
• Bill
• assault allegation
• blackmail
• exposure

Dede steals the ashes of her stepfather (Tom) from Bill and Lucia and demands a ransom for their return. This act represents her escalating manipulation and erratic behavior. She's using the ashes as leverage, demonstrating her willingness to exploit family grief and sacred objects for personal gain. The ransom demand also serves as a plot device to bring characters together and escalate tensions.

Foreshadowing: Dede's theft of the ashes occurs after she's already caused significant disruption to Bill's life.

• Tom's ashes
• theft
• ransom
• Dede
• manipulation

Randy Cates, Dede's past lover and the actual father of her unborn child, arrives when he learns about the situation. Randy and Dede plot to abscond with Tom's ashes and start a new life together. His arrival complicates the already chaotic situation and creates conflict between Dede, Matt, and the others. Randy represents both a tie to Dede's past and a new source of instability.

Foreshadowing: Randy's arrival is triggered by learning about Dede's pregnancy and her current situation.

• Randy Cates
• Dede
• arrival
• ashes
• plot to escape

During an argument between Dede and Randy, the situation escalates tragically. Dede accidentally kills Randy in what appears to be a moment of panic and chaos. The exact details of the fatal moment are not extensively detailed in the summary, but it results from the heated confrontation between them. This incident forces Dede and Matt to flee in a panic, fearing the consequences of accidental homicide.

Foreshadowing: The tension between Randy and Dede builds as they argue over their plans.

• Randy
• death
• argument
• accident
• Dede
• panic

After the traumatic events, including Randy's death and the flight to Canada, Dede experiences a moment of remorse and decides to return the stolen ashes. This decision marks a turning point for her character, showing the first signs of genuine guilt. Returning the ashes represents her attempt at making amends and seeking some form of redemption after the chaos she's caused.

Foreshadowing: The birth of Randy Jr. and the weight of her choices appear to trigger this moment of reflection.

• Dede
• ashes
• return
• remorse
• redemption

At the film's conclusion, Dede makes the difficult but selfless decision to leave her son Randy Jr. with Bill, recognizing that he would provide a better, more stable life for the child than she could. This moment represents genuine growth for Dede, as she puts her child's welfare above her own desires. However, she leaves again herself, staying true to her independent and self-centered nature while acknowledging she can't provide what the child needs.

Foreshadowing: Dede's final monologue about sex leading to entrapments reflects her continued cynical worldview despite this act.

• Dede
• Randy Jr.
• Bill
• leaves
• child
• decision

In her sardonic closing narration, Dede reflects that sex ultimately leads to entrapments, children, diseases, and heartbreaking relationships. This cynical conclusion encapsulates the film's darkly comedic tone and themes. Despite the chaos and harm she caused others, Dede maintains her detached, sardonic worldview. The ending leaves audiences wondering if she will ever reconcile with her family, as her pattern of leaving and causing disruption continues.

Foreshadowing: The film's title itself hints at this cynical perspective on sexuality and relationships.

• Dede
• narration
• sex
• entrapment
• conclusion
• theme