Pleasure (2021) User Reviews

The most realistic depiction of the porn industry put to film, by far

[Stay_away_from_the_Metropol · 7/10 · 15 May 2022]

Ever since Evelyn Claire told me on set that she was being featured in an upcoming A24 film, I've been waiting for this one, so naturally I made an effort to go see it opening weekend. (I guess A24 dropped it at some point though - not sure why). Considering most of the pre-release press has been about the porn industry participants feeling "betrayed" or "led astray" by the production, I entered with "certain" expectations, I suppose.

First, let me say that this is easily the most accurate portrayal of what it's like working in the porn industry that I have ever seen put to film, by far. Writer/director Ninja Thyberg obviously did her homework, because 2/3 of this movie just felt like my run-of-the-mill day at work (I've been an "adult film actor" for 13 years now) - the majority of the details were nailed, to a T. That deserves major accolades in itself. Of course, the viewing was a biased experience for me, by default, primarily at the movie's expense. For me personally, the majority of the central segments of the movie felt rather shallow and uninteresting, thematically, and in its actual events. After a strong opening, it began to wander into a rather empty direction from my perspective, but fortunately there is a character arc and thematic turn that gives the movie cautionary purpose in the last 45 minutes.

On the subject of themes, I want to respond to the backlash coming from certain XXX industry folks by saying that I disagree about the movie making the industry look bad. Perhaps the film's greatest strength is that it does a great job of developing a display of what I've always seen as a looming truth: it's not the industry itself that destroys people who get involved, it's what the individual seeks from the industry. I've always thought that if someone gets into porn for the sole purpose of fame and/or money, with no passion for the actual sex acts, that is precisely how one may find themselves in a vapid black hole of loneliness or unhealthy practices. Overly competitive people have always rubbed me wrong, and this movie focuses precisely on how detrimental that can be. I'll never understand the need to be "the best" - just love what you do!

This was a somewhat surreal viewing experience for me considering I "know" 80% of the cast, as well as in about half of the locations that the film took place in - that's a first with a mainstream film. I enjoyed watching all these acquaintances getting their chance to flex their acting chops in a somewhat different realm. Lead actress Sofia Kappel (one of the only cast members who's not actually in the porn industry) absolutely stole the show, delivering a brave, well-rounded, and pretty endearing performance, which gives the movie a lot of life and value it might not otherwise have. Ex-pornstar Zelda Morrison did a fantastic job building a realistic character throughout the film, as did fellow XXX talent Chris Cock. And, Evelyn Claire, who has always reminded me of young Jennifer Connelly, was the PERFECT casting choice for her very crucial role - she serves absolute FACE every single time she's on screen - she's stone cold.

While I felt that the movie didn't have a lot of dynamic to it's pacing, and kind of lacked some necessary tension, I still think it's a very accomplished showcase of what performing in the industry is like for those curious to know. It's shot well and I enjoyed the direction of the music used. It is a VERY graphic film, hence the NOT RATED rating, so of course it's not for everyone! Plentiful erect penises and interpreted sex acts and cum! Not sure i'd ever watch it again, but, it stands out!

What's your pleasure?

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 19 July 2022]

'Pleasure (2021)' isn't exactly an enjoyable experience, and the irony of its title doesn't seem lost on writer-director Ninja Thyberg. This frank and unapologetic exploration of the Los Angeles porn industry almost feels like an exposé at times, with its naturalistic presentation granting it a fly-on-the-wall feel which makes its more shocking moments all the more upsetting. Indeed, there are a few scenes which are incredibly difficult to watch. The most notable of these is the filming of a rough and degrading three-way scene which our protagonist continues to consent to only because she has no other option - which, of course, means she doesn't consent at all. It stands in stark contrast to a similar scene shown just minutes earlier, the shooting of which has its star surrounded by people who make sure she's comfortable and genuinely feel as though they're concerned for her safety (it's no accident that a lot of these people are women). The picture constantly presents this push-pull between how the porn industry ought to work and how it actually does, remaining relatively neutral to the concept but condemning its execution. Having said that, the overwhelming feeling that this picture provokes is undeniably icky. If porn is something you're into, I can see this actually putting you off. Whether or not that is its intention is unclear, especially considering that the flick does go out of its way to include both the good and the bad parts of its protagonist's journey. Perhaps its goal is to be as realistic as possible, not necessarily impartial but not forceful in its implied assertions. I suppose this is how it manages to be both empathetic and non-judgemental towards the women who seek a career in porn and unsympathetic towards the men who take advantage of them. Though the feature isn't especially entertaining in the traditional sense (it certainly isn't fun), it's a consistently challenging and compelling affair that manages to be explicit enough to feel as though it's doing its taboo subject justice (and to be genuinely shocking at times) but not so explicit as to feel as though it's overly gratuitous or insensitive. Sofia Kappel delivers a bold, bracing debut performance (apparently, auditioning for the film was a way to push her out of her comfort zone) and the rest of its cast - which is mostly comprised of current or former porn performers, producers and directors - is surprisingly good, too. The flick doesn't feel exploitative at all, taking a fairly feminist approach to its material and always feeling like it has something to say. Everything we see is necessary in telling this tale, which is rare even for something that isn't dealing with a potentially tricky topic. It's funny how nobody blinks an eye when seeing someone's head get blown off in a movie, but almost everyone feels at least a little uncomfortable when someone takes their clothes off and starts having sex. This piece almost strives to make you uncomfortable because it wants you to face the realities of a pretty shady business. The interesting thing about it, though, is that it isn't the sex itself that gets under your skin. Sexual violence is presented as truly disgusting and upsetting, as it should be, but it's also presented as insidious and pervasive. It isn't something that just happens, it's something that's enabled and justified by those with the power to do so. It works its way into every industry one way or another, so it's naturally present in an industry that concerns itself almost solely with sex. The thing is, though, it shouldn't be. Sex work is work and everyone deserves to be and feel safe in their workplace. Tangent aside, this is a strong movie that's as engaging as it is off-putting. If you can handle it, it's worth a watch.

Average drama with a few extreme moments

[jfgibson73 · 5/10 · 27 December 2021]

I didn't think this story was all that compelling or satisfyingly told. There were some details that were memorable, but I really didn't get invested in where it was going. I will agree that the lead actress did an amazing job, and most everyone else brought a realism to their roles, especially since they work in the adult film industry in real life. But I didn't feel like there was much connection between the scenes. Yes, the overall goal of the main character remains consistent, but I didn't feel like we were shown what motivated her to make the specific choices she did much of the time. The effect is that the story doesn't really progress and build believably. Even though it has an outstanding central performance, I felt this was a fairly average drama overall which happened to have a few scenes that were difficult to watch.

Incredibly nuanced for such a heavy subject matter

[isaacsundaralingam · 6/10 · 11 January 2022]

It's pretty much true that everytime there's a mainstream movie about the adult industry, it always focuses on the extremes on one end; where there tends to be a very anti-porn industry undertone that guides these movies.

So when you're making a movie about the industry with many actual performers showing up as themselves, there was the risk of it being extreme on the pro-industry end. But to my pleasant surprise, the movie composed itself with a lot of nuance on both ends of the argument to share its story without a strong bias on either side; something I very much appreciate. Pleasure is a very decent movie, but with very little originality in my opinion. Yes, I liked its tone overall, but the story plays out exactly the way you'd think it would by the first 15 minutes. It certainly wasn't boring, but it never captivated as much as it had the potential to, and that's something I wish this movie could have done different.

Overall however, it was a decent watch, but more importantly, it was made with the right frame of mind... and that's what truly stood out to me.

Realistic portrayal of the US porn industry

[cotta002-318-865119 · 7/10 · 31 January 2022]

A girl from Sweden decides she wants to make it in the LA porn scene and become a star.

The movie starts with her landing in LAX airport and subsequently being housed in a rental for girls in the porn industry (a common practice).

The movie holds no punches as it shows the way an adult performer becomes a commodity and how time is money.

A few sympathetic characters however most are shallow and some are cruel.

This movie does not hold back and is pretty much accurate in how the porn business is.

She has to decide whether to roll with it or to take a stand on principles, oh how a day can change one's mind.

Some cameos by real porn stars and crew, actors were great especially the lead.

Definitely one to see.

Sometimes exremly intense

[moritz-83507 · 7/10 · 13 January 2022]

The actress is just amazing !!!

The story is not very complexe but definitly well written.

The first real Porn is just technicaly amazing and so is the whole movie.

You can realy see that the actress geve it all for that role and so do most of the others.

The whole theme is realy well explained and some scenes are reeeeeeealy intense . Some people maybe would say that this movie is just about a girl who doesnt know if she wants to do Porn or not. But i tell you this movie is definitly worth it to watch ! 7/10.

A stunning central performance from Sofia Kappel...

[tccandler · 6/10 · 13 October 2021]

The story of a 19-year-old Swedish beauty who makes her way to Hollywood in order to become the next big porn star. The film has rightly had its fair share of publicity, due to the graphic scenes featured throughout. However, that shock value soon wears thin, leaving a somewhat hollow tale of cold-hearted loneliness. Still, it earns a slim recommendation due to a stunning central performance from newcomer, Sofia Kappel.

Well researched look at the porn industry.

[jessholmes-89096 · 8/10 · 1 February 2022]

I think the low reviews are due to the discomfort one feels while watching Ninja Thybergs first real movie of substance. The research that went into this really gives us an inside look at the porn industry and what it takes to be successful in that industry. I didn't find anything disturbing or shocking, which i was grateful that Ninja Thybergs to it to the extreme. The story was fine enough for what the subject matter is, a shallow world.

The director went too far to make a point

[broman-29429 · 7/10 · 19 July 2022]

This film makes me wonder more about the film industry than it does about the porn industry. The struggle the main character Bella Cherry was going through was exactly the same as the actress Sofia Kappel must've been, what she did for recognition, what she put her body through, at the end everything was just acting wasn't it? This film is about poor self respect and doing whatever it takes to achieve your goals.

There's a graphic explanation of how life works, everything it's about power, when you have it you're gonna use it even if it hurts, even if someone did exactly the same things to you. This movie is not made to arouse you, it's made to disgust you. Great acting (to the point I believe some real feelings were involved) I thought the director went too far to make a point.

Boring and long winded

[On_The_Mark · 3/10 · 16 January 2022]

The process for women to be in porn isn't pretty as this movie depicts. However you still need an interesting story or interesting or likeable characters and this movies has none of these.

Super boring lead as she goes through the motions in the industry, dealing with one scumbag after another, you wait for a story to develop or something of some interest and it never comes. Every character is unlikeable so give me something.

I see other people writing "stunning" and I'm not sure they saw the same movie. A lot of the dialog was awful and the lead actress wasn't that good (or well cast in my opinion). I wanted to find something positive about the movie but I couldn't find anything. It was tedious and sometimes uncomfortable to get through.

I saw someone compare this to "Boogie Nights" which should be illegal. "Boogie Nights" was entertaining and well written. It had soul. This movie is absolutely soulless.

A moral tale

[knvixen · 10/10 · 15 July 2022]

I truly don't understand the problem people have with this. The editing is Oscar-worthy, so nobody gets hurt or damaged in any way. It portrays the more clean side of the porn industry, so even when she reaches her breaking point it shies from the worst. The brief conversation with her mother is so clever as it tells you pretty much exactly why she's there. It's a debut feature from the director Ninja Thyberg and a first role for the star Sofia Kappel and they are both outstanding. It is absolutely a feminist film, as it demonstrates perfectly how men rule the genre and abuse the women who believe they are empowered to be part of it. It's a huge debate. There are women who fulfil their fantasy within the industry, and there are now many women-only companies making films for women, which is fabulous, but of course the horrific side will never end. Porn has always and will always exist, and pretending otherwise is facile. If you're not prepared to watch films like this your opinion doesn't matter. I watch because I want facts to form my opinions.

An Old Banana

[caspian1978 · 6/10 · 13 January 2022]

Pleasure showcases the raw reality of the modern adult film industry and the people in it. While boys will be boys, this movie focuses more on the women that are involved in front and behind the camera. Although this is a business, some choose pleasure. In the end, it comes down to what that pleasure truly is. Whether it be love, acceptance, fame, money, friendship or true meaning, this movie is successful in capturing the naiveness that the central character has. It is a true representation of the adult film industry as it captures so many real depictions of the people that make up that world.

Comments on pornography

[guy-366 · 3/10 · 5 February 2022]

Ms. Ninja Thyberg (!) turns out to be a one-trick pony. After her 2013 short film Pleasure, this 2021 Pleasure is the feature-length version of similar "behind the scene" footage. She claims the budget was over two million dollars. In the late sixties, early seventies, Sweden flooded the movie theaters of the world with soft core pornography disguised as sex education; now we're full circle with this hard core porn disguised as an indictment against women's exploitation.

Everything you always wanted to know about porn industries but were afraid to ask...!

[shahrad · 7/10 · 4 July 2022]

Perhaps the most authentic approach to the genre. A full yet brief closure to legal porn industries. Not a great movie in terms of cinematic values but an explicit look to this mesmerizing world, containing lots of graphic sexual moments, intelligently put for the sake of story.

A unique film you don't get to see all the time.

I was hoping for a bit more girl power.

[tildiz149 · 7/10 · 7 March 2023]

I knew intuitively that this movie was going to contain very much nudity, swearing and some kind of lost innocence. And yes, "Pleasure" gave me those things.

So what did I miss in this, otherwise good, movie? Mainly two things. One, much more clarity when it comes to Linnéas/Bella Cherrys family relations. Two, a bit more girl power. I saw some of that, but if you ask me it should have been more.

I have never watched a porn movie. I have, however, watched movies and tv series and read books that have explicit sexual content. I have, for example, watched the movie "Lovelace" (2013). And yes, I think that there is some similarities between this two movies. For example the focus on a young woman and the pornographic content. So if you liked "Lovelace" (2013) I would recommend watching "Pleasure".

Ambition, abjection, compromise and insight

[jimcheva · 7/10 · 14 April 2023]

I've seen at least one doc on porn life and more than one film that shows it, so there wasn't much here that would shock me. I think the most striking thing about the film is how much of what we see could be true across the film industry - women cheapening themselves more or less willingly in hopes of getting ahead, a progressive surrender of idealism, some unpleasant surprises, decidng to work past them until one or does not decide the price is worth paying to get where you want to be. Much of what we see is the maturation or hardening - depending on your point of view - of someone coming to terms with the requirements of a predatory world (and porn is far from the only such world in LA) while - possibly less realistically - questioning the price of her own ambition. Apparently many of the performers here are actual porn performers, which mainly shows in their ease in certain scenes. But there is a lot of good emotional life in their work as well. Anyone who watches this mainly for the sex is likely to be disappointed - there are non-porn related films with more overt sexual scenes - and some might find it simply hard to watch at times. But it's a real story with a real progress and real relationships that happens to be set in the world of porn.

Euro arthouse meets LA porn scene

[gregorik · 7/10 · 8 February 2024]

Contrary to what a number of reviewers enthuse about this film, there is nothing "revolutionary" about it as far as edgy European filmmakers are concerned. In fact, the likes of Paul Verhoeven, Gaspard Noe and Ulrich Seidl did much of the heavy lifting several years before, in terms of explicit and frank cinema-verite material.

That said, this is a compelling, carefully researched slice-of-life movie with a central performance for the ages, and it's coming from perfect newcomer Sofia Kappel. With a less game actress, this could have been just another "Showgirls".

The director's insistence on sticking to crushing realism means that there's a complete lack of Hollywood moments, twists and turns, and no artificial tension -- which would admittedly make the whole affair an easier watch. It's never boring, but there's a distinct documentarist feel to everything, which does kill any budding drama.

Make no mistake, this is a European art movie, transplanted to the LA p*rn scene.

Just an HONEST OBJECTIVE REVIEW

[thefinalword · 8/10 · 10 January 2022]

Okay so "Pleasure" delves into what it is like to be a porn star. It comes equipped with all of the debauchery you would expect to portray this sometimes sordid craft. However, porn is something we're all intimately acquainted with and we all have a least a passing passion for how it is done.

The girls involved. The challenges they face working in such an industry. The guys they have to deal with on set. Even to the difficulties that male porn stars experience with 'being prepared and ready to go'

Boogie Nights was the only other film to really memorialize the porn industry and obviously it was fantastic. It crystallized the early porno scene industry. Pleasure does much the same but without a lot of the bravado and drugs. It feels very intimate and as though it were something that happened to the writer.

It captures the tensity of a live sex scene very well and you can even sense the nerves of the crew as they do their best to make the girls feel everything is professional and by the book. However it does get into the hardcore scenes, and even beyond that at times. Too far beyond it. The surreal nature of a "rough" scene and blurring the lines of what is performative art and what is bordering on sexual abuse and rape. Only the girls willingness to go through with it makes the act forgivable at all. I am not a fan of hardcore porn and this film doesn't glorify it. Much the opposite. It's an important film for pretty much everyone to see. Especially the younger generation that has been consuming porn for the entire lives via the internet.

My only complaint would be that I think some of the cinematic scenes could have been edited down quite a bit. The movie had a few pacing issues although it didn't really matter it just felt... a little weirdly structured. I mean honestly the film is an 8 for me and I am really really picky. :O

I found the film to be exceedingly entertaining and I really loved the wholesome acting of Linnea. After seeing it there are ALOT of takeaway feelings involved---

In closing I think the message of the film was to just give us a real glimpse of the adult entertainment world. Obviously the industry is changing now and pornstars/sex workers are getting rid of the middle man and producing their own content on sites like Onlyfans.

Average as a whole but...

[nikolaostkakos · 7/10 · 16 February 2022]

Not the best movie possible tbh. Narrating Bella's story who tries to climb the ladder in porn industry is really interesting. The issues she faces, ''friendships'', harrassment, misogynism etc. It shows in a rather simple way how the industry works. The way is was directed was poor. It could have been sooo much better and actually deserving my 7. It doesn't but I gave it anyway because of the thought-provoking themes of the movie. Acting also was average at best case scenario but in a way it wasn't about acting anyway. It was a movie about what pretty much happens every day in order for us to pleasure ourselves. So much toxicity and discomfort...

just watch bts from real porn

[mangkaynor · 1/10 · 10 January 2022]

No real story or plot. The movie features cameos from real life porn workers but nothing you havent seen before from shows like "After Porn Ends/Hot Girls Wanted". The main character is bored of life in Sweden and decides to hope on a plane to LA to become a porn pro. That's it. Nothing interesting or terribly exciting happens aside from some attempts at hard core scenes which are pretty tame by porn industry standards. There's a pathetic attempt to setup a rivalry with a real life porn starlet but its underdeveloped and feels forced. Watch only if you havent seen any other porno docu otherwise skip it.

Mixing business and pleasure (not?)

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 2 March 2022]

There are certain things that can be critisized here. The biggest being the motivational void - the thing that drives our character to extreme lengths. She does tell us that she wants to be the biggest porn star, but that alone may not be sufficient for us to really get behind her and the decisions she is taking.

Now having said that and as you can tell by my rating, that did not take any "pleasure" or entertainment away from the movie and what it was telling. There are a lot of uncomfortable scenes ... there are also a lot of scenes that make this look like glamour and fun. And that is one of the things that the movie is telling us.

Of course it could not shy away from the male dominated aspects of the industry. Or what it does mentally to some ... again some are built to do this and some probably thought it is easy money. It is always important to set boundaries ... and hopefully be advised by the right people. Of course also listen to them.

This is based on a short movie the director did a lot of years back. I never watched that, but I read an interview she did. She visited a lot of sets and apart from the main actress, almost everyone else involved is or was working in the porn industry. So they did not have to "act" ... well not more than normal. It also means there is a lot nudity - if you feel uncomfortable watching that ... well the movies aim is to make you uncomfortable watching a lot of things, but I'm just putting this out there, as a fair warning or whatever you want to call it.

The movie still has a few cliches it touches upon and while it does not say things outright, most of them are ... hammered through! Innuendos and puns sort of intended. You may not be able to enjoy certain things anymore I reckon once you've seen how the "magic" is being made ... one thing is for sure, the movie is not meant to "pleasure" you. It doesn't even manage to pleasure the main character most of the time ... or any time? And the ending is as much a message as the rest of the movie. Still well done - and even without clear motivation the movie manages to convey everything it needs to.

Very Difficult To Watch - Even For Anyone Who's Into Porn

[jmvscotland · 6/10 · 12 January 2022]

I am very open-minded when it comes to the subject matter of this movie and I do agree with many others that Sofia Kappel was actually remarkably good in this, especially for a first timer.

Although I have no personal problem with porn at all, it is the exploitation of those such as the Bella character in this movie that gives me cause for concern. Of course there are those who will say that viewers of porn are a large part of the problem. However, it is those who are actually in the porn industry who must bear the shame of the exploitation that obviously occurs there.

This is not a bad movie by any means. But it was strange to me at least that the producers of the movie seemingly had little problem with showing the male actors in full naked detail while very largely keeping away from nudity among the female characters.

I didn't mind the movie apart from the nastiness of some of think are called the "Gonzo" scenes depicted but it is not actually a movie that I'm ever very likely to seek out again.

6/10 from me.

Extremely boring and cringe

[caroline_chupaa · 1/10 · 13 January 2022]

Terrible.. why even make this.. just why go watch porn instead. Boring plot, terrible acting and just meaningless.

Cringe cringe cringe that's all I can say.

From the theatron of Athens to the shabbiest rented offices in Los Angeles, heroes take decisive action.

[AluminumBird · 7/10 · 24 March 2022]

Bella goes through a staggering range of transformations and fortunes, even though she is a porn star at the beginning and a porn star up to the end.

What does her mom tell her? "There are bad people everywhere; you just need to learn to handle them." LOL a disembodied voice on the phone, like one of Shakespeare's ghosts. Well, Bella handles them. Not stacking bodies like Macbeth, but the psychic cost seems to be nearly as high.

The opening scene is a real puzzler - for me, at least. I remember that she is wearing that coat of many colors that she had in Las Vegas, so it's near the end of the linear timeline.

I will say that some of this is hard to watch. But I suppose the extremity of the horror makes Bella's journey that much more epic. I would recommend against watching if you are at all sensitive to emotional-physical-sexual abusiveness or disgusting body stuff.

It just occurred to me that Bella doesn't necessarily step out of her royal ascendancy into oblivion/annihilation. When Ava tells her, "(sorry) for what?" apparently sincerely, it could be the case that Bella, shrewd strategist that she is, can see what she will become if she continues to be inured to the horrors of the career, and so she just checks out and does something better with her life.

And her one friend (that she loses - there's the tragedy)... her one friend explicitly tells her she should be doing something better with her life. She probably did.

I'm still on Bella's side at the end. She becomes a monster, yet the moment she sees herself reflected in the dead eyes of Eva, she instantly exits. The ending is especially good. It cuts the thread in just the right place.

Maybe I should give one more star for this movie. IDK. Maybe I will if I'm still thinking about it and rewatching it in five years. Anyway, it's for sure worth a watch, especially for a club/group discussion.

Poor Title, good Film

[hkronin · 7/10 · 6 September 2022]

This is a good film, but I don't like the title. This film is about anything but Pleasure. I don't think we see a single person experience pleasure in this entire film.

This is however a good story about one woman's experience in sex work. Her story is a very negative experience in sex work that is painful, scary, and traumatic but not pleasurable at all. This story is a very true depiction of some women's experiences in sex work but not everyone's. For example, see the movie, The Sessions, which is a very different look at sex work and is a beautiful story.

There is some amazing depth to Themis film and the characters in it. This isn't just a stereotypical portrait of the porn industry, but shows many difference facets, personalities, and characters. Excellent acting and directing, and an interesting story arc.