The Fluffer

Ladymol's Review:

I had no expectations of this film at all- had read no reviews and didn't know the storyline.

I feel incredibly grateful I chose to watch it. This film challenges your perceptions of the sex industry in a thought-provoking way. A young man, Sean, who has come to L.A. to pursue a career as a film-cameraman, inadvertently rents Citizen Come instead of Citizen Kane from his local movie store.

The movie stars Jonnhy Rebel, a male porn star, and Sean falls hopelessly in love with him, to the extent that he gets a job at Janus films, where Rebel works. It doesn't take long for him to be employed for skills other than his camera work, and he becomes Rebel's "fluffer" (a term used to describe someone who gets the stars hard before their scenes). Great job, if you can get it... or so you might think. Sean discovers that all is not as he thought- either for Rebel, the porn genre, or his feelings.

This film has an incredibly authentic look. Many of the behind-the-scenes staff of the make-believe film production company, Janus, are ex-porn stars themselves. Some of the scenes they film for their movies are straight out of real gay porn films- torn overalls; terrible acting; unrealistic, over-lit stages.

The most impressive performance must be from Scott Gurney, who plays Johnny Rebel. You entirely suspend disbelief as you watch him perform: he is this selfish, vein, weak, beautiful, dangerous man. If you've never come across this actor before, I guarantee you will be straight onto the net, looking up his bio.

This film works on every level: as a thought-provoking piece of cimema; as a highly amusing, entertaining film; as gorgeous eye-candy.

Highly recommended.

Cerisaye's Review:

A delightfully funny satire on the gay porn industry that turns into something much more. This movie features a strong cast, terrific script and it looks good too. Although it's a low budget film it quietly achieves more than many Hollywood blockbusters. This movie is quite simply a tale of dark obsession and unrequited love. It's stylish and thoughtful, made by someone who obviously knows what he's talking about because he has worked in the gay porn industry at which he cocks a snook. There are no graphic scenes despite the subject- the only penis is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment.

Scott Gurney is outstanding, and not just for his chiselled looks and sculpted body, as gay-for-pay porn star Johnny Rebel, a man so self-absorbed he cannot see himself except reflected back through the eyes of others. Michael Curio hits just the right note as the innocent Sean, drawn to LA to make films. He becomes obsessed with Johnny and gets sucked into the murky world of gay porn, drugs and exploitation. Johnny knows what he is, another victim of our dreams and desires. We are all complicit is the message of this movie. If you watch gay porn, as I do, it makes uncomfortable viewing at times, and you'll never look at it in quite the same way again- for a start you'll be looking out for obvious signs of fakery.

The cast of supporting characters is richly drawn too, including Johnny's stripper girlfriend, Babylon, and Silver, the lesbian who works in the office and likes to watch naked male members. The ending gets a bit melodramatic, but it works with the characters, and I thought it was deserved. A thought-provoking film that can be appreciated by a wide audience. It features a terrific sequence of a wild party, in which various real life porn stars appear, with a raucous song by Chi Chi La Rue and others. Enjoy.

Buy It Here From Amazon UK - Region 2 (UK/Europe)

Or here from Amazon.com (Region 1)


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