Most pornographic films do not have glamorous red carpet theatrical premiere events. That's because most pornographic films have names like “Anal MILF Bunnies 38” and are shot on video in a span of about four hours. The new adult erotic drama “Marriage 2.0” tries to change that, and just won Best Movie of the Year at the Feminist Porn Awards. The film is a legitimate cinematic achievement with a dialog-driven plot, moving performances and stunning cinematography of our beautiful Bay Area as well as some attractive people boning. “Marriage 2.0” had its official premiere at the Victoria Theatre Saturday night at a gala event with all the film’s stars on hand in what producer Magnus Sullivan called an attempt to “reestablish adult as a relevant cinematic medium”.
“Marriage 2.0” is a feature film that covers the ups, downs, and boudoir complications of polyamory, the trendy new relationship model that places like the Huffington Post can’t stop blogging about. For couples curious about polyamory, “Marriage 2.0” is an excellent and realistic primer for how poly relationships work and how they can blow up in your face. For experienced polyamorists, “Marriage 2.0” is easily the most sophisticated and relatable modern film on the topic. For fans of traditional Hollywood romantic films, well, you people are probably better off just renting “Bridget Jones’ Diary” again.
The cast features mostly adult film stars, many of whom spoke at a panel session after the premiere about the shift to playing complex, multidimensional characters. Local porn hunk Mickey Mod (above left) noted, “A lot of the roles I have are what I call ‘stanger porn’. It’s the pool guy, it’s the pizza guy, it’s the secretary. Often the conflict that is portrayed in the narratives that we’re in is based out of this conflict of infidelity,” he said. “It’s so rare that we actually get to portray something that shares our actual experience.”
Star Ryan Driller put it another way. “My typical role in adult film is a prop,” he said. “Most of you wouldn’t recognize me from above my belly button or below my waist.”
“Marriage 2.0” does show remarkably hot explicit sex, and mixes in plenty of food porn and scenery porn too. But this film is almost 90 percent dialog! It portrays couples talking, processing, arguing and then having post-argument sex. The script has a number of wonderful zinger lines, and uproarious comic cameos from local legends Nina Hartley and Carol Queen.
Fudgie Frottage and event organizer Prince$$ Pandora at the 'Marriage 2.0' premiere
There are additional cameos from counterculture Bay Area stars like ‘Elvis Herselvis’ Leigh Crow, Red Hots Burlesque’s Dottie Lux, and several edgy local alt-porn performers.“A lot of folks in this film already identify as being part of the alternative sexual community, we’re kind of like the weird kids sitting at the corner table of the cafeteria with all the goth make-up on,” said alt-queer performer Andre Shakti. “In San Francisco, it’s like we all go to a playschool of all those weird goth kids.”
“Marriage 2.0” does not figure to have a proper theatrical run, but is now available via online streaming. Like many of its stars, this film flaunts its square-peg status with pride. “Adult doesn’t know what to do with this film, it’s not a masturbation film,” Sullivan said. “Mainstream doesn’t want to touch it because it’s porn. So we’ve fallen kind of into this weird gap where we’ve created exactly what we wanted to create, something that that exists between the adult cinematic genre and indie or mainstream [films].”
