The Fluffer (DVD)

The Fluffer (DVD) ... Cunio ... / DVD released 10 June, 2002 at Metrodome Distribution / Features of the DVD: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen / Wash Westmoreland's intelligent social comedy The Fluffer explores the pornography industry and makes some interesting points about the way it serves dreams and hardens hearts. But it also has a streak of sentimentality which stops the various elements quite coming together. Aspiring cinematographer Sean (Michael Cunio) becomes obsessed with male porn star Johnny Rebel/Mickey, and takes a job with Janus Films partly to get to know him. In the event, his duties include more than camera work, such as preparing Mickey's occasionally flaccid member for its big moments. The confused and exploitative Mickey identifies as heterosexual--yet he likes Sean a lot, and Sean's feelings for him are more or less obvious. In one of the film's most disturbing sequences, Sean goes to the club where Mickey's pregnant lover Babylon works and hires her for a lap dance; it is never entirely clear to what extent Babylon understands the situation. The film ends up avoiding psychological complexity for a sudden burst of crass noir gestures as Mickey kills a producer and gets Sean to drive him to Mexico; up to this last reel or so, however, it is intelligent and often perceptive, though never remarkably so. Debbie Harry has an impressive cameo as Babylon's world-weary boss and mentor; Adina Porter is good as Sean's lesbian confidante. On the DVD: The Fluffer on disc has a slightly flat Dolby 5.1 soundtrack which suddenly becomes blaring in a couple of party and nightclub sequences; it is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The special features are limited to a theatrical trailer, filmographies for the cast and production notes. --Roz Kaveney