a film by Richard Glatzer
and Wash West
2001 | 95 mins | US
Scott Gurney .... Johnny Rebel
Michael Cunio .... Sean McGinnis
Roxanne Day .... Babylon
Robert Walden .... Chad Cox
Deborah Harry .... Marcella
Taylor Negron .... Tony Brooks
Richard Riehle .... Sam Martins
Tim Bagley .... Alan Dieser
Adina Porter .... Silver
Ruben Madera .... Hector Flores
Josh Holland .... Brian
Mickey Cottrell .... Aunty at Bar
Guinevere Turner .... Video Store Clerk
Penn Badgley .... Young Sean
Cameo appearances by
Derek Cameron
Karen Dior
Chad Donovan
Chris Green
Ron Jeremy
Chi Chi LaRue
Thomas Lloyd
Jay Lyons
Bradley Picklesheimer
Louis Re
Zach Richards
Cole Tucker
The Fluffer
adolescent infatuation meets the bitter
reality of adulthood in the adult
film industry
Screened in Great Britain as part of the
15th London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
- 11 April 2001 Closing Night Gala
Available on DVD as part of the
Metrodome Distribution catalogue
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Film enthusiast Sean McGinnis has a liking for the classics, only his quest to study the works
of Orson Welles results in a video mix-up when the box for CITIZEN KANE contains instead the
skin flick CITIZEN CUM! Yet bisexual Sean's not in a hurry to return it given he finds
himself fixated on the star of the show, one big, buffed and beautiful Johnny Rebel.
Determined to meet his hero, he promptly works his way into the 'Men of Janus'
production company in which Johnny aka Mikey is under exclusive contract.
Yet life is rarely the same as what you see on the silver screen or indeed the hardcore screen
for that matter, as Sean is set to discover that the man of his dreams is straight, 'gay-for-pay'
and complete with a girlfriend in the form of lovable lap-dancer Babylon aka Julie. Still that
doesn't stop Sean from trying to get up close and personal with the man himself, a desire
that comes to fruition when he agrees to his idols' request for some on-the-set penile
stimulation. Only is Sean prepared to sacrifice romantic bliss with potential
boyfriend Brian, for a man who views him as nothing more than the studio fluffer?
In short, this is a variant on the theme of unrequited love, albeit one that is set within the
gay porn industry and a business in which writer and co-director Wash West née Westmoreland
is more than familiar with. As a consequence, this work is ingrained with a series of home
truths about a profession concerned more with penis size, sexual expertise, let alone
the all important money shot, than with the sexual orientation of the 'gay-for-pay'
actors it employs, a term that Kinsey would undoubtedly have a field day with!
Yet inspite of the subject under discussion, the directorial team of West and Richard Glatzer
of GRIEF fame remain surprisingly coy in depicting male nudity and whilst this does not detract
from the story, no doubt many on viewing a title of this nature will end up feeling somewhat
short changed in the man-on-man department. Then again, the attention here is on the obsessive
longing that Sean has for Mikey and in turn Mikey's relationship with girlfriend Julie and
her 'shoulder to lean on' boss Marcella, courtesy of a brief but notable appearance
from Deborah Harry.
To that end and in as much as Michael Cunio as Sean, Roxanne Day as Babylon and Scott Gurney as
the man least deserving of such attention do a fine job in the lead roles, not overlooking
Adina Porter who excels as company lesbian Silver, the star of the show remains veteran actor
Robert Walden who is every inch, no pun intended, ex porn star turned studio boss
Chad Cox, aided as he is by some great one-liners and one inparticular that
you certainly wouldn't have heard him utter in his LOU GRANT days!
Complete with the odd surreal sequence, together with a set of childhood flashbacks by way to
illustrate that some folk have emotional issues even before they arrive in LA, this marks
an entertaining, at times comical, often poignant examination of the money shot trade, complete
with a series of cameo appearances that include the like of such porn legends as Chad
Donovan, Ron Jeremy and Thomas Lloyd, let alone a certain Chi Chi LaRue. In short,
this is film about love and devotion, but not as we've seen before, as adolescent
infatuation meets the bitter reality of adulthood in the adult film industry!
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