Kink

Produced by James Franco, this documentary from Christina Voros arrives at a propitious time, as 50 Shades of Grey is likely to be tied up for weeks in theaters. Kink centers on Kink.com, which happens to be the largest adult entertainment website devoted to BDSM—namely, erotic practices involving bondage, dominance, submission, and sadomasochism. The content appears to be simulated, but looks quite explicit nonetheless, with performers undergoing what seem to be physically unpleasant experiences in order to achieve authenticity. Although the subject is undoubtedly provocative, Voros's intent here doesn't come across as trying to titillate, but rather to describe this niche film business and present those involved in front of and behind the cameras without making moral judgments. So while Voros does show excerpts from sex scenes, she's more interested in the participants: one of the owners, who genially provides a tour of the warehouse where sequences are staged; directors and other crew members who talk about the process; and actors who explain not just how they play their parts but also why they chose to take them (motives that are for the most part rather mundane). The interviewees adopt a somewhat defensive attitude, continually emphasizing that everything shown on the site is “safe, sane, and consensual,” and arguing that while many might consider the content unsavory and even potentially dangerous, Kink.com's commercial success proves that a market exists for it. The major drawback here is repetitiveness, as the same points are continually being made. Still, given the current high-profile subject matter, this should be considered a strong optional purchase for more adventurous collections. (F. Swietek)