Lovelace (MA)
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone
IT’S the biopic of possibly the most famous adult film star in the history of the world.
And it’s the role Lindsay Lohan was born to play.
So imagine the world’s surprise at seeing girl next door type Amanda Seyfried saddling up in the title role of Lovelace.
I remain uncertain as to whether Seyfried is the film’s greatest asset, or its greatest problem.
Certainly, her performance is above the rest of the pack, including even the very watchable Peter Sarsgaard as her repulsive husband and controller, Chuck Traynor.
Interestingly, the film tells its story twice – firstly in a more vanilla version, then reprises the same events with a deeper, darker twist.
It’s a really interesting technique that suits the tale: was Lovelace a victim or a more willing participant, or is the truth somewhere in between?
And the film certainly doesn’t gloss over the Mob’s involvement in the industry.
As a ’70s period piece, Lovelace is not too fascinating, despite its subject matter. There’s a sense that the film is a solid effort, which miscued somehow and is not what it could have or should have been.
Mention should also go to Sharon Stone, unrecognisable as Lovelace’s mother.
Lovelace chronicles a ’70s cultural shift ably enough, but reminds us that fiction can never compare to the truth – the documentary on the subject a few years ago was a far more interesting effort than this one.
For devotees only.
– Jason Beck
