The Fluffer (2001)

Directors:

Richard Glatzer
Wash Westmoreland

Writer:

Wash Westmoreland (writer)

Release Date:

1 February 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Love Is Hard

Plot:

The story, set in the world of adult entertainment, centers around three characters: Johnny Rebel, a...

Plot Keywords:

Gay Interest | Porn Star | Unrequited Love | Porn Industry | Sex Trade

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Scott Gurney	...	Mikey Racini (aka Johnny Rebel)
Michael Cunio	...	Sean McGinnis
Roxanne Day	...	Julie Desponsio (aka Babylon)
Taylor Negron	...	Tony Brooks
Richard Riehle	...	Sam Martins
Tim Bagley	...	Alan Dieser
Adina Porter	...	Silver
Ruben Madera	...	Hector Flores
Josh Holland	...	Brian
Mickey Cottrell	...	Aunty at Bar and Voice of Ralph Shifflett
Guinevere Turner	...	Video Store Clerk
Robert Walden	...	Herman Lasky (aka Chad Cox)
Deborah Harry	...	Marcella
Heather Shannon Ryan	...	L.A. Actress
David Pevsner	...	Casting Man

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, drug use and language.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:MA (TV rating) | Mexico:C | Germany:16 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fluff and Fold LLC

Quotes:

Sean: Silver, isn't it weird for you working here? I mean, you like girls, right?
Silver: I'm into gay porn.
Sean: You are?
Silver: [affirmatively] Mmm.
Sean: How come?
Silver: I like watching penises. Besides, lesbian porn sucks! With all those long red fingernails? *Please.*

Movie Connections:

References Citizen Kane (1941)

Soundtrack:

Cherry Bomb

Interesting, yet Difficult to Watch

After Paul Thomas Anderson's "Boogie Nights", the porn industry has been explored in a few interesting ways. Last year's "Wonderland" showed the downfall of porn legend John Holmes, a study of how desperate he became after realizing he hasn't been seen for anything but his "manhood". I recently saw "The Fluffer" which is detached to its subject, and simply shows how the characters are affected by their work.

"The Fluffer" is a film that unflinchingly shows the work of a small gay porn studio. I questioned its taste in some points, but I did in "Boogie Nights" also. I liked how it realistically shows how sex outweighing love leads to insanity in some form or another, but it is extremely hard to watch in spots.

Wash Westmoreland's story follows a pure young man named Sean who lets himself be degraded and used in his work as a cameraman in the studio. He falls for the studio's biggest star, Johnny Rebel. Rebel is straight, or so they say, but Sean can't help but love him. I found this point interesting, how Rebel (and I'm sure many straight porno stars) reduces himself to the homosexual market for more money. Anyway, Sean lets himself be dehumanized by Rebel and soon the industry sends all their lives in the wrong direction.

As a whole, "The Fluffer" doesn't fully succeed. Its messages are all told in familiar ways, (note the use of American flags to show the faded American dream for example) and the ending isn't fully convincing. However, it is a film that never stops entertaining and is definitely one of the very bravest depictions of the porn industry I've ever seen.

(2 and 1/2 out of 4)