Premise: An aspiring porn star moves her way up the industry, for better and worse.
Look, we're all adults here. We know why I saw this movie. And I'm not alone in that. I was first aware of this movie from the digital Sundance Film Festival in 2021. It was the only movie I couldn't get a pass to. In the year of CODA, the first movie to run out of passes was Pleasure. We're all sickos, I guess. And since then, this has been a movie I've wanted to check out. Was it worth the fuss?
What's most interesting about Pleasure is how much access it got to the big brands of the porn world. They were able to use some of the biggest brands and cast a lot of authentic performers to play the roles. The movie does a good job of showing the business side of the industry and how it blurs a lot of lines. Sofia Kappel's Bella does dream of stardom. She does put herself in questionable circumstances. Yet, there are times where it isn't clear who is using whom more.
The arc of the movie is everything you've seen before. Humble beginnings. Maneuvering to get on top. Defining moments where she can either do what's right or do what's best for her. And when she gets to the top, she realizes it isn't everything she hoped it would be. The only thing separating this movie is the specific industry that it is set in.
It's a tough movie to pull off because people will come at it from all sides. Some will think it sanitizes the porn industry and ignores the ugliest parts of it. Others will say it demonizes what is typically a business just like any other. It most succeeds in striking a balance. Beyond the paint-by-numbers plot, my main issue was that it's never really clear why Bella wants this. Almost from day one she seems hesitant about it; unsure. I couldn't tell you much about the character or what drives her.
Verdict: Weakly Don't Recommend
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