|
 harlie, the protagonist of the Slovenia film "Porno
Film", is so dedicated to his porn viewing that his two friends John and
Frank jokes that he must have a P.H.D. in pornography by now. Using Charlie's
extensive knowledge of all things porn, the trio sets out to make the
"first real Slovenia porn film", in Slovenia language and everything
-- except the women in the film are emigrated Russian hookers, and their
Slovenian (?) isn't very good.
"Porno Film" runs just under 80 minutes, and is a
breezy little comedy that, every now and then, tries to be something more,
although it needn't bother. Matjaz Latin stars as Charlie, a 30-something man
who possesses what seems like permanent bad hair day and an obsession with porn.
Zoran More is Frank, the slightly nutso friend who thinks making a porn film
would be fun since it means he'll be able to have free sex. The third
participant is overweight John (Primoz Petkovsek), the pimp whose stable of
Russian hookers have been cast in the upcoming porn film. And oh, Charlie is
unable to have sex unless it's on camera. Other than that, there's nothing else
to know about the movie.
Written and directed by Damjan Kozole, whose last film,
according to IMDB.com, was made in 1988, one wonders what happened in the
intervening 12 years, since the screenplay for "Porno Film" couldn't
possibly have taken that long to write. Mostly good for a couple of chuckles as
Charlie sets about trying to bring his "vision" of a Slovenian porn
film with global appeal to life, "Porno Film" is more off-kilter than
anything else. There's Charlie's oddball look (he looks like a cross between
actor Mike Myers ("Goldmember")
and that teacher from the TV show "Welcome Back Kotter"), and the
trio's quickly accepted endeavor of making the "first ever Slovenian porn
film", an endeavor they hatch after a night of smoking marijuana.
Along the way, a cat burglar name Fernandel (Emil Cerar) is
recruited to join the enterprise with the threat of being delivered to the
police hanging over his head. In-between run-throughs for the movie, Charlie
keeps Fernandel taped up in a chair and hidden in his apartment closet. Although
he's a cat burglar who consults a telephone psychic before each job, Fernandel
worries that his mom might see the film. There is also a subplot about the
Russian girls' previous pimp, who has just been released from prison and is now
looking for payback, as well as retrieving his "property."
Of note is the presence of the fresh-faced Natalia
Danilova, who plays Kalinka, one of the Russian hookers. Danilova is a lovely
young woman and it's amazing how much her presence lights up an otherwise
ordinary looking movie. Of course, it takes a little suspension of disbelief to
accept that the pretty Kalinka would fall for the odd-looking Charlie. The film
probably spends too much time discussing Kalinka's life as a hooker and
Charlie's sexual disorder, which leaves little room for the movie's comedy
moments, which all happen to involve the "making of" of the porno
movie.
"Porno Film" is a harmless enough movie. It has a
couple of laughs, and I liked the interaction between the three reluctant
friends. For example, Charlie and Frank are antagonistic toward each other at
every opportunity, and while Charlie wants to get every little detail of his
porno film right, Frank just wants to have sex. All the while, the guys are
trying to help the Russian girls with their pronunciation. It's all in good fun
and worth some chuckles, and that's it.
For anyone wanting a serious look at the pitfalls of porno
stardom, take a look at "Pornstar:
The Legend of Ron Jeremy."
|
