Film Review: PLEASURE (2021): Sofia Kappel Stars in a Very Intriguing Drama About the Adult Film Industry

Pleasure Review

Pleasure (2021) Film Review, a movie directed by Ninja Thyberg, written by Ninja Thyberg and Peter Modestij and starring Sofia Kappel, Zelda Morrison, Evelyn Claire, Dana DeArmond, Kendra Spade, Jason Toler, John Strong, Aiden Starr, Axel Braun, Bill Bailey and Chris Cock.

Filmmaker Ninja Thyberg doesn’t waste a lot of time in the new movie, Pleasure, sugarcoating any of the themes that are prominently featured in the picture. It’s, simply put, a film about the adult film industry. In this unique and fascinating look at the life of a young porn actress from Sweden, the audience is hooked right from the opening scene thanks to the terrific lead performance of Sofia Kappel who plays the girl who gets into more than she bargained for as the story slowly progresses. She comes to L.A. at the very beginning of the movie and almost immediately, gets right into the “action” of the very cutthroat industry where only those willing to be humiliated beyond a reasonable doubt can survive. The cost of “pleasure” is one that Kappel’s multi-tattooed character, Bella Cherry, may not be willing to pay. Pleasure may make Boogie Nights look a bit like a family film in comparison.

If you follow the adult movie industry in any way, you should be familiar with the lingo used in the movie which includes “boy-girl,” “interracial” and other descriptions of scenes that are filmed throughout the picture. If you aren’t at all interested in what happens behind the scenes in this branch of the movie-making world, you would probably be best to avoid the film for it’s not for those easily offended. For all others still reading, I’ll continue. There is, almost right away, graphic male nudity and it creates a sense of discomfort for the viewer which is entirely intentional. As Bella tries her best to adapt to the competitive industry she has chosen, she finds herself torn between enjoyment and disgust.

I was particularly fascinated by the character of Joy (Zelda Morrison) who becomes Bella’s friend, roommate and confidante–for a little while anyway. Joy is an interesting, spirited woman who is flexible in terms of what kinds of scenes she will do. Bella is trying to stay afloat in the industry and her friendship with Joy will be tested and then some during the course of this complex and stylishly made film. The scenes between Morrison and Kappel are the best in the film and prove that loyalty is something that simply cannot exist in a competitive world such as the one this movie portrays. When they are both put on dog leashes during a shoot, something happens that is absolutely heartbreaking and both actresses are more than up to the task of making us understand why the characters act as they do.

Another scene which stands out is one in which Bella takes part in a sex scene with vicious men where she is mistreated and she thus believes she has been raped. When she tells her agent, he dismisses the claim and the client/agent relationship is thus tarnished. It’s a fine line between consent and non-consent in these sorts of scenes and it’s hard to decipher what is written in the contracts and what is not as the film plays out. It becomes the audience’s job to decide if they can sympathize with Bella’s predicament and it is to Kappel’s credit that viewers will most likely be on her side for much (but not all) of the movie.

A noteworthy performance is given in the picture by Evelyn Claire as Ava. During a marketing event, Ava is getting a lot of attention whereas Bella is not. Bella uses her ambitions to get publicity and what follows is the most fascinating part of the film where Bella becomes like the men who have used her for their own pleasure. Bella takes her frustrations out on Ava which leads to a climax that must be seen for its complex nature as well as its major developments regarding both of these female characters in the picture.

Pleasure is a flawed film, however. In its concluding scenes, there were opportunities to dig much deeper inside Bella’s mind and we never really get the sense of closure we needed to feel regarding her relationships with those around her. Even her relationship with her family is mostly limited to a phone call which makes for a revealing scene but it’s too little in a movie which needed more edge where some pivotal character development was concerned.

Still, Pleasure should be seen. Kappel makes this performance her own and as a result, viewers are drawn into her character. Morrison and Claire are worthy co-stars and the three performers work extraordinarily well together demonstrating the themes the picture chooses to explore. While the movie could have delved deeper into the relationships portrayed, it shows the porn business for all its sleaziness, its highs and its lows for the people involved. This film lets the viewer decide what the best action for Kappel’s Bella to take is regarding her uneasiness in the profession. It’s a brave picture and thus is one that is well worth seeing.

Rating: 7/10

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