Risky Business: Inside America's Adult Film Industry

Offering neither a historical perspective nor a focus on individual X-rated legends, filmmaker David Mech's Risky Business interviews denizens of the porn-film hotspot of Miami, FL. With the exception of a few actresses who enjoy the nonstop intercourse and promiscuous bad-girl mystique, everyone here is in it for the money (especially during the Great Recession; one starlet says she could not meet living expenses at her earlier CPA firm). Nonetheless, talent scouts and directors here say that women in particular are often damaged and abused when they enter the field, embarking on a career that seldom improves their lives (men interviewed say they cope with the baggage). Although STDs are rampant in entry-level amateur productions, professional sex-film studios are said to effectively police themselves against HIV, and some even adopt a condoms-only policy (viewer tastes notwithstanding). Although business insiders warn that government interference will only increase health hazards, they do call for legislation ending job discrimination against former porn players who have left the field. With its personal stories, Risky Business doesn't offer much of a sense of the behind-the-scenes production/distribution practices of the $13 billion smut empire (the low-budget presentation remains Miami-based, with not even a mention of the ballyhooed Adult Video News annual expo in Las Vegas). Bare breasts abound, but the editing avoids any hardcore visuals. Not a thorough everything-you've-wanted-to-know-about-porn-but-were-afraid-the-librarian-would-see-you-Googling-it presentation, but one that does answer some questions about porn star issues, this is a strong optional purchase for more liberal-minded collections. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)