I really don't think this movie deserves this low overall score of 3.8 (at the time I write this review), in my opinion it's not that bad at all. Sure, it has some major flaws, but nevertheless I was intrigued and entertained until the last minute. The premise is interesting enough, and the acting is surprisingly good, taken into account that one of the leads is renowned as a porn actor and another one is an equally renowned (if not notorious) pop star.
It seems to me that the makers wanted to give this project a certain mysterious and sensual David Lynch or Brian de Palma feel (I hope I don't offend Paul Schrader with this!), and they partly succeeded. It definitely has a fascinating, brooding atmosphere, and the story, with the characters and their sub-plots gradually getting interwoven with each other into an erotic and dangerous web, seemed to build up to a thrilling climax. Well, there's my biggest let-down: this climax just never comes. In fact, it all ends in a disappointing puff, and the lasting impression is that the whole thing just went no-where and lacked real urgency.
That's such a pity, because there are some good things to mention too. I loved the settings in the sordid back-streets off Sunset Boulevard, with the dilapidated theaters. The house of Christian is awesome, breathtakingly located in the hills, and the scenes in the house are beautifully photographed. Lindsey Lohan is, in spite of all the hoo-ha and troubles she apparently caused during filming, absolutely convincing in her difficult part. And pornstar James Deen plays main character Christian in my opinion fabulously, extremely sinister and menacing, all the time making you feel that his cold and aloof attitude could explode at any time. I don't know if he does more main-stream movies, he sure should!
It seems to me that the makers wanted to give this project a certain mysterious and sensual David Lynch or Brian de Palma feel (I hope I don't offend Paul Schrader with this!), and they partly succeeded. It definitely has a fascinating, brooding atmosphere, and the story, with the characters and their sub-plots gradually getting interwoven with each other into an erotic and dangerous web, seemed to build up to a thrilling climax. Well, there's my biggest let-down: this climax just never comes. In fact, it all ends in a disappointing puff, and the lasting impression is that the whole thing just went no-where and lacked real urgency.
That's such a pity, because there are some good things to mention too. I loved the settings in the sordid back-streets off Sunset Boulevard, with the dilapidated theaters. The house of Christian is awesome, breathtakingly located in the hills, and the scenes in the house are beautifully photographed. Lindsey Lohan is, in spite of all the hoo-ha and troubles she apparently caused during filming, absolutely convincing in her difficult part. And pornstar James Deen plays main character Christian in my opinion fabulously, extremely sinister and menacing, all the time making you feel that his cold and aloof attitude could explode at any time. I don't know if he does more main-stream movies, he sure should!