Barfly

Leave it to Michael Raven and the fine people at Vivid DVD to present audiences with a hot, well-directed feature film in the form of BARFLY to break the monotonous onslaught of gonzo and wall-to-wall pornos flooding today's video marketplace. Actually this title is a 2002 production only recently released in the digital format, but the hardcore and sexual performances are timeless. Despite the fact that the viewer has to speed search through an interminable series of copyright warning, company logos and ads to get to the main feature, patience is rewarded with five memorable, close encounters of the sexual kind, where the set-up is an integral part of all the scorching action.



There is no real plot to speak of; rather, director Raven has assembled a series of vignettes strung together by characters relaxing in a lounge and recalling their tales of lust. (Only the Devon/Billy Glide affair is not told in flashback.) Though this narrative device is among the hoariest of porno clichés, it gets the job done and allows audiences to focus more on the sex than on any intricate storyline or overwrought melodrama.

And speaking of sex, most of the scenes are strictly one-on-one affairs, although a threesome featuring Devon, Evan Stone and Sydnee Steele stands out towards the end. Devon seduces Billy Glide in a bathroom with deep kisses and other forms of oral work which would bring any man down to his knees. Now a Digital Playground playmate, Devon had never really impressed me much during her tenure as a Vivid Girl, but she is excellent in this movie. Clearly, when matched with a superior director (as shown by her starring roles in RUSH and DEVON STRIPPED), she is at her sexual best (despite the lack of doing anal or receiving a facial).

The passion continues when Mr. Marcus has a sensuous make-out session with Samantha Styles (who used to be a blonde when she was strutting her stuff as one of Seymore Butts' Tushy Girls) on a couch, leading up to the inevitable sucking and fucking, followed by some reverse-cowgirl and spooning anal work. Of course, their scene concludes with a climactic shot all over Sam's mouth. It's the nastiest scene of the flick, and worth watching twice over before moving on to the sizzling girl-girl scene between Keri Windsor and Chennin Blanc. Both are dressed in sexy business attire which is slowly removed as the girls get into what is one of the best lesbian scenes I've witnessed this year. Even deeper kissing is on glorious display here, thanks to the talented tongue of Keri talented tongue which is applied liberally all over Chennin's lips, face, neck and down her throat. Toys aren't used until the last five minutes of their affair, allowing viewers to watch them pleasure each other with their fingers and mouths.


The Devon/Evan/Sydnee threesome earns extra points for sexual variety, and Sydnee steals the spotlight with her high energy and aggressive attitude. Lucky bastard Evan gets to have his tool sucked by both girls, and the majority of the time, he simply lies back and lets them do most of the work. The only thing truly missing from this well-composed affair is a shared cum facial. (Instead, Evan blows his load on their crotches. Boo!)

Finally, the always sexy April Flowers is matched up with Bobby Vitale for the flick's finale. They do it in the back of an SUV, and she can be seen swiveling her hips rhythmically while getting boinked reverse-cowgirl style. As with most of the women here, April does not do anal but she does open her mouth wide for the money shot. Overall, it's a good, solid and straightforward sex scene and an appropriate ending to a simple, yet highly erotic movie.

The letterboxed picture reveals a very grainy film source, though the sound is generally good. It's a shame that a better video transfer couldn't be coaxed from this well-made production, but its par for the course when it comes to Vivid DVDs. The extras on the disc which are worth a look or two include the following: several excerpted scenes of Devon, Cassidey, Janine and Inari Vachs taken from the Vivid catalog; a reel of Bloopers and Outtakes, a Photo Gallery of Devon and Janine; and a Positions Room where you can jump to your favorite form of sexual conduct with the push of a button or with a click of the mouse.



Raincoaters who want nothing more than raw, uninhibited hardcore might find themselves fast-forwarding through most of the movie, since there are no gaping anuses or overt swallowing to be seen here. But if you're in the mood for a well-crafted, story-based dirty movie with loads of hot sex, look no further than BARFLY.