Pleasure or Pain (2013) User Reviews

Production value of softcore porn. But hey... it's porn

[quincytheodore · 3/10 · 29 May 2015]

There isn't much in the movie aside for erotic scenes and stupid script. Acting is shallow, because let's be honest, these are porn stars. The movie is basically a series of cheap sexual fantasy delivered in monotonous tone. Production value is passable, and the ladies are nice, but for those wanting a psychological thriller or intense drama might have to look elsewhere, after a few ogling here maybe.

Story follows the main girl as she retells the story of her encounter with a rich man who has strange appetite. Plenty of monologues are used and they are all delivered with overly sensual tone and corny lines. Sequences are done for the purpose of creating titillating situations, these are mostly misdirected as the characters are inherently too cheesy and the performers can be quite zealous.

The movie doesn't attempt to be overly hardcore or theatrically artsy, it simply presents attractive girls prancing about in sexually explicit way.

Fifty Shades of Grey is even more erotic AND has a better story. Need to know more?

[Jerghal · 4/10 · 23 June 2015]

Directed by Zalman King...who's that you ask? He brought us Two Moon Junction, Wild Orchid, Red Shoe Diaries and assisted Adrian Lyne in making 9,5 weeks. So you get the theme: he's into making erotic films. Pleasure or Pain is his last directorial effort before he croaked (he made it to 69, ain't that fitting). Contrary to his other films this one stars real life pron stars like lava-melting-hot Malena Morgan and also Elle Alexandra, Hayden Hawkens, Kayla Jane and Aubrey Addams. Now you might be thinking this fact would mean that it's a LOT more explicit than say 'Fifty Shades of Grey' but it certainly is not. The sex scenes are pretty short and you hardly see anything like in most other soft-porn movies (to which you could count his previous work I guess). Worst of all is that they aren't very erotic either which should at least be the point of this film but there it falls short. Though she looks gorgeous Malena is not a great actress. Well nobody in this film is. But they're better at other things lucky for them. Overall I found the story pretty boring, slow moving and poorly written as is the dialogue btw. Some credit to the DP who did a fairly good job with the lighting and such but it doesn't matter. This film is hardly worth watching because it is neither a good plot based film nor a good erotic film. Skip it!

Kamikaze Love - Sexart series boiled down into short softcore film

[jiffyjeffjohnson · 5/10 · 2 May 2017]

So I did some research and it seems Pleasure or Pain is an edited down version of the 26 episode series that are basically around 10 minute each vignettes of the same "movie" narrated by and starring Malena Morgan.

After watching as many as I could find on free sites, I did notice quite a few scenes that Pleasure or Pain did not include. Not that you're going to notice a huge difference, or see many more crotch shots, but there are some.

It's a shame such a talented director wouldn't try to take softcore films of the past, such as those starring Catalina Larranga in House of Love, Voyeur Confessions, Word of Mouth, etc. by Indigo Entertainment (others by Universal/Playboy, etc.) to the next level by adding an extra level of X-rated-ness vs. tease. But here again, you get quality porn actresses forced to only briefly flash some goods, vs showing/performing actual sex acts. I'm not saying go porn gross, but this movie would have been great had it just taken it up a notch, and not left the viewer wanting more.

Also, I'm assuming it was made as a full movie, Kamikaze Love, and then broken down into vignettes to post to the site SexArt (not sure if an exclusive) in 10 minute increments. But calling it Series 1?? Was there a Series 2? Considering the director is dead, doubtful. They do use episode 1-26 on that site. Better if they just left Kamikaze Love as a full movie, and allowed the actors to do what they do best. Ever watch a porn movie made for late night TV? It's like that. Not as bad as using a different camera to only capture above the waist shots, but nearly.

I implore these directors in the future, please make this type of movie again, but with a bit more storyline as the movies mentioned above, and give us softcore PORN like the old days, only better. I'm sure budgets are an issue for most and that's why we get half-assed attempts, but I for one would pay a premium to see House of Love Rated X anyday over a watered down, badly acted movie-vignette of tease.

Weak porn-a-like ... something.

[daninet · 2/10 · 27 May 2015]

The whole movie is like the prologue of the porn scenes but than actual sex is cut out. The actors act terribly since they are porn actors, and the whole movie made like a porn scene: slow beat music and whispered dialogs. The lighting and locations also remind you of adult movies. They filmed a lot of porn stereotypes scene like the car washer guy etc. They wanted something different, I understand, but every frame reminds you the cheap porn not something better. No drama or thrill like the genre shows. 2 stars because Malena Morgan is unbelievably sexy and I have penis between my legs. But I can't say any other positive about it. If you want to watch porn this is not for you. If you want to watch a drama or thriller movie this is not for you. If you want a porn like ... mess, or you are in love with one of the girls, well, watch it.

Softcore porn

[johnnmilw · 2/10 · 31 May 2015]

Why not just call this movie what it is. Soft-core porn. Like the older 'Emmmanuelle' films of the 70's, the goal isn't to provide insights into the human condition, but to offer sexual-role playing propaganda. Wealthy, dominant, sexually irresistible & handsome male (typically, as in this case, of a euro persuasion), gets to be worshiped by all the attractive, young, but naive,purpose-less women he encounters. There's no sense of reference. Where do these women come from? Who is the guy they all worship and why is he in the social economic class that suggests he can afford anything his fantasies desire? Finally, we've seen the same concept in so many films and stories before and there is nothing that stands out other than sexual content. In other worlds, the plot is predictable and contrived. Without purpose, the movie, at least,shows skin in a very sexy way and for that. it gets a few stars. Maybe we can create a new film class, rated P for 'porn with purpose'.

Malena Morgan Deserves a Better Film Than This

[Learner-335-460300 · 2/10 · 22 April 2018]

Pretty terrible, due to the triteness of the script. Malena Morgan is a nice girl, and if you haven't seen her work, you might think, "But she's a porn star." I like just about everything about her. And she can act. She does a decent job in this boring movie.

She would be well cast as "the girl next door" type, because she is. Too bad all of her talents are wasted on, well, whatever this is. . .

This doesn't contain any "spoilers," because there isn't anything to spoil -- I mean,it's already spoiled. It arrives pre-spoiled.

45 shades of pleasure & 5 shades of pain

[kosmasp · 4/10 · 27 June 2016]

That's for the characters involved of course. The viewer might feel different while watching this. Malena Morgan is a beautiful woman there are no doubts about that. Her acting talents on the other hand may be discussed (or disqualified if you are not enticed one bit by her beauty). And while this is not the best movie ever (it's mostly a build up to sex scenes, though they are all soft core in case you were wondering), this is still way better than 50 Shades of Grey. It may be more a "9 1/2 weeks" rip off, but the way the male is "playing" with our female "hero" can be interpreted into the "50 shades" category.

Having said all that and maybe writing too much for a movie, that doesn't have a plot other than the moral message that addiction and overdoing something is bad, the movie will certainly find its audience.

10 stars can/t be half of a movie

[mihaibrad777 · 4/10 · 9 June 2020]

10 stars for her - body/appearance 0 stars for the rest

Directing, dialogues, script,etc = 0 If you ask how can al these make a 4 star review, i''ll tell you : she is a fantastic women. Rare sexy quality appearance in erotic movies

Weak story line but somehow a little intriguing.

[zakens · 6/10 · 28 February 2017]

When I started watching this, the acting seemed even worse than in porn. It was hard to ignore that Christos Vasilopoulos was showing zero emotions during whole movie. However, as I continued to watch, movie became a little more interesting and I really loved the acting of Elle Alexandra. Malena Morgan seemed a little boring and emotionless at the beginning but during the movie she changed for better. Speaking of Kayla Jane - she was quiet intriguing. What I loved the most of the movie was the ending, it was a great plot twist when Victoria finally came to her senses and decided to end it all with Jack. In conclusion, it's pretty average movie but still worth to watch.

adult movie not to miss

[dr_nayyar · 8/10 · 27 January 2015]

Seems a long time since such movies have been out of production, with everything that an adult movie could ask for. Hot and sexy girls, good locations, good story and story-telling and best of all - Great Sex Scenes. Set in the form of flashbacks during an interview hasn't broken the continuity of story. Pleasure and Pain in depiction of pain via pleasure gives a new idea of how adult entertainment can be portrayed without Banging and Faking expressions and doing all the ugly stuff in the dirtiest possible way. Sex scenes are beautifully captured. Movie has sex scenes from start till end with no repetition. The movie had everything covered to satisfy the need of viewer.

Hot steamy romance tale

[capelladewdrop · 10/10 · 28 October 2015]

A woman is telling her story on the radio of a marriage that is quite out of the ordinary. This movie plays out as softcore pornography with a gripping story.

First of two middle/upper class Californians meet in a store, they have days and days of endless sex before suddenly getting married. He then makes her watch him having sex with other women, and she gets off on him cheating right in front of her face.

There are plenty of interesting scenes and plots twists that kept me watching intently for 100 minutes, like the sudden and tragic ending to it all which I wont spoil for anyone.

It does raise the question however, what is the point in marriage if its just about sex? I was going to switch off after 15 minutes, as I am not a fan of romantic films, but I'm really really glad I kept watching. It didn't play out to be cheesy, boring and lame.