Ever caught yourself staring at the latest story of some cheating movie star or business mogul whose life has since gone terribly wrong and wondered why the hell someone would flush it all down the drain for some little fling? I know I have. But I’ve always figured that either he was really drunk or they were really hot.
 
Turns out it’s not that simple.
 
Why Men Cheat is a new documentary that launches a multi-faceted approach into the many potential motivators of infidelity for men. But maybe you already figured that out from the title. Armed with a panel of sexperts, including the great Dan Savage, and salacious narration by our own national treasure Anne Marie MacDonald, Why Men Cheat posits all possibilities, from biological imperative and hormones, to the desire to take risks and the conquest for power. And of course the ever-popular argument that monogamy is just straight up bonkers.
 
Will you agree with every perspective? No. Will you come out knowing why men fool around? Of course not. But will it make you think? Absolutely. While it lacks the queer-con that you may be craving, Why Men Cheat certainly brings up questions of gender, the media, essentialism, the evolution of women’s rights, and how this evolution has impacted the contemporary relationship. Especially interesting is the reminder that the women involved in these scandals bear a great deal of scrutiny, while the men often eke out sympathy for their loses. After all, if it’s in their genes . . .
 
Check this one out with an open mind. Again, if you date the same sex, it may not speak directly to you, but it’s a thought-provoking documentary that is guaranteed to get you talking to each other. — Nick Green
 
Why Men Cheat airs Thurs, Jan 24 at 9pm on CBC cbc.ca/doczone