After Porn Ends

loved it
I found this to be a sensitive portrayal of some people involved in porn, from Seka who doesn't regret a thing to Chrissy Moran who regrets it all. I liked that the director didn't try to make a central point here; he just let the people speak for themselves. I found it very interesting. Some of the ex porn stars were funny like Richard Pacheco. The only really attractive person for me was Mary Carey (before her multiple surgeries) so I didn't watch this for titillation, just to see what the lives of people who live outside of mainstream society were like.

First time film maker avoids sensationalist traps...
First off, if you're expecting a Morgan Spurlock/Michael Moore doc with a fat soundtrack, fancy visual effects, and witty dialogue that will firmly direct you into thinking what they want you to. Then this is not that kind of film. The film maker (Bryce Wagoner)looks like he had a shoestring budget, and as a result, did what so many film makers forget to do when making important documentaries such as this one. Let the subjects themselves tell the story. Each cast member was able to tell a full circle tale of before, during, and after their time in the XXX industry. Out of the 12 people interviewed, all of their stories were surprisingly unique, relatable, inspiring, and heartbreaking. To coin a phrase, it's "fair and balanced." And I found myself seeing a little bit of me and other people I knew in each and every one of these one time celebrities. As long as pornography is a mainstay in our society, this will be a relevant piece of work. So with that being the case for the...

My Take
This is a comprehensive documentary about people that were in the industry and their lives before, during, and after porn. It was good to see interviews with actors from the previous four decades. This lends credibility to the movie. It is difficult to hear or see pornography actors speaking realistically about their lives relative to the industry--something I have always wanted to see, though I can understand why some would prefer to never be heard from ever again. It shows their humanity. Something actually lacking in the films. [Regarding pornography; I do understand that a fantasy is being sold. Not true reality. The naive would think it reflects real life. It doesn't. That is why I like seeing their human side. I always found sexually oriented media extremely titillating but I can distinguish between what is and isn't real. Were there no buyer then there would be no seller. A realistic open mind toward human sexuality versus demonization, shame, and social suppression...

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