The strengths and limitations of Paul Thomas as a director are evident in "Faithless", a very dull Vivid Video vehicle for soft porn star Kelli McCarty, showcased in a one-shot attempt at hardcore porn.
PT delivers intense XXX sex scenes that have the cast demonstrating an urgency that is artificial: sex workers hard at their craft. The paper- thin characters they play and cornball, uninteresting story elements make for a poor attempt at what I term Lifestyle Porn (portraying a subculture's way of life, rather than any narrative progression).
McCarty is the central figure, overacting as Steven St. Croix's wife and stepmother to luscious Daisy Marie. Most of the action revolves around the 2 women's jealousy and hatred for each other, but the script by "Duane" never develops this hook, just using it as a gimmick for angry scenes.
Movie slips into triteness as McCarty immediately makes a play for her step-kid's boyfriend, effortlessly played by Voodoo in the feature's only acceptable performance. That's because PT seems overly interested in the sexual performances, neglecting the dramaturgy and characterization that provide a balance in his best Adult films.
Hubby Steven is cheating on McCarty with his best friend's wife Kelly Leigh, who seems to have been cast merely on the basis of her first name matching that of the heroine's. Leigh is unattractive and unappealing here, just around for gonzo filler. And Herschel Savage as her husband has literally nothing to do.
Completing the movie's emptiness is James Deen as Voodoo's e constantly irritating pal, giving his usual lousy performance. Jennifer Dark as his sack-mate brings Euro porn content to the project (think: effortless anal sex) while reverting to asinine pornspeak (in English, no less) at the first opportunity.
Film's structure is poor, with nearly the entire show in a "one month earlier" flashback, and the opening tease of a sex scene regurgitated over again at the end, both times strictly soft-core, as if we were suddenly watching the Pay-Cable (Playboy Channel) bowdlerized version of the movie.
PT's ability to construct interesting compositions (notable is his repeated use of a natural split-screen effect in several scenes upstairs at Steven's home where his two ladies McCarty and Daisy are framed separately in bedrooms at either side of the screen) and riding herd on the power of the sex scenes is impressive, but in support of an ill- conceived project.
