Lovelace (2013) Directed by Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman
This is no "Boogie Nights". Not that it ever is trying to be and it also isn't anything that I'm holding against this movie but it of course is hard not to compare the two, since how many movies set in the pornography industry do you know off?
Movies set in the pornography industry are actually pretty interesting to me, especially the ones during the golden age of porn, or the porno chic period if you will. It was a short lived period when they actually still put some serious effort and creativity in their productions. Scripts were written, 'actors' had to truly act and the overall production quality seemed higher because of all of the effort that obviously got put into it. Movies from the porno chic era are actually kind of good at their own right and certainly fun to watch, for reasons other than the obvious ones.
Now, having said that, I actually never have seen "Deep Throat" but I'm of course well aware of its subject manner and reputation. The story behind the movie is a pretty interesting one, especially when considering that its main star Linda Lovelace came out of nowhere and disappeared just as soon as she had appeared. This is a movie that mainly focuses on short lived porn career but does it really provide you with any answers or any other revealing things? Not enough really in my opinion and that's one of the problems with this biopic.
First of all, I don't really have the feeling that I now know all about Linda Lovelace's personal life and personality. I pretty much still don't understand what drove her and it's also a bit of a missed opportunity that the movie isn't ever focusing enough on Lovelace's later life, when she became an advocate against porn. It potentially could have made her character a more interesting and engaging one.It's also a real problem for the movie that it just doesn't seem to be able to handle its emotions and drama right. The first part of the movie is a pretty lighthearted and fun one, in which Lovelace herself is also perfectly happy to enter the world of porn and embraces her own fame. However in the second half of the movie, things suddenly start to change, without any apparent reason though. The movie is lacking any good build up to any of its drama and emotions, so all of it feels rather forced and ineffective, especially since it's literally coming out of nowhere. It's truly an unbalanced and perhaps even a bit of a disjointed movie, with a pretty good and fun first half but a much weaker and less interesting second one, because of the way how it all got told and handled.
Still, I feel this a slightly better than average biopic, mostly because of its subject manner and its approach to it. It really isn't a 'dirty' movie or one that's deliberately trying to shock or make a statement against something. It actually is probably a bit of a too cute and fun movie, which is also part of the reason that whenever the movie tries to shock or be a more serious one, it kind of falls flat. It's also too kind, especially toward its main subject Linda Lovelace, as if the movie is afraid to offend anyone, or loose some of its viewers if it isn't making things fun or light to watch.
I really liked Amanda Seyfried though, as the movie its main lead. Never really looked at her as a good, strong or likable enough leading lady but she did a really good job with her role in this movie, with the limited among of things she was given to do, in terms of range and emotions. Also weird thing about the movie is that it features a whole bunch of well known actors in it but most of their parts are nothing more but cameos really. It feels like a huge waste of some fine talents, such as that of James Franco (a weird choice as Hugh Hefner but OK), Sharon Stone, Chloë Sevigny, Eric Roberts and many others, who are all basically in it for just around 1 minute.
It's telling its story well and pleasantly for most part but when it comes down to drama, emotions and proper development, this movie isn't the best, to put things mildly.
6/10
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