Writer-director Ninja Thyberg’s “Pleasure” was the most daring movie of Sundance 2021. It’s an explicit portrayal of a Swedish girl’s move to California to achieve her dream of being a famous porn star. However, like many who move to La La Land to make it big in the world of adult entertainment, a rude wake-up call awaits. Bella Cherry, that’s her name, soon realizes that it is only through sheer masochistic abuse from sleazy managers, male actors, and competitors that she can make it in this dog-eat-dog industry dominated by male power players. “To me, it’s not as much a film about porn as it is about being a woman in today’s society,” Thyberg told The Daily Beast. Point taken. Sure, Bella gets spat on, slapped in the face, viciously tied up and choked out, but she tells herself it’s all part of the job. After all, like every porn actress, she signs a consent agreement before every shoot accepting the sexual acts that are about to be performed on her. Thyberg’s no-holds-barred exposé features a stunning performance from first-time actress Sofia Kappel, fearlessly playing a woman who consistently has to adapt to every landmine she steps on in this toxic industry. It’s a rags-to-riches story but told with a bittersweet sting on its contours. How far would you go for success? That’s a question that not just Bella Cherry, but more than a few women ask themselves on a daily basis at their own workplace.
SCORE: B+
Edward Berger seems to have settled on what comes next. His Lance Armstrong biopic, starring Austin Butler, is now holding casting calls, with production eyed for January.