Pushover, The

Stephanie Swift looks drop-dead gorgeous on the cover of THE PUSHOVER, a feature-packed DVD from the good people at Wicked Pictures. Though it's hard to imagine that any video with super starlets like Swift, Inari Vachs, Taylor St. Clair and Chloe could be anything less than great, THE PUSHOVER somehow manages to succumb to being "just average" due to uneventful sex scenes, and a complicated (for adult cinema that is), but largely inconsequential story.

The main thrust of the movie centers around Ms. Swift's character, who undergoes a Pygmalion-ish transfer from clumsy, inelegant maid to sexy sophisticated celebrity in a matter of movie minutes (of course, we've seen this cliché dozens of times from PRETTY WOMAN to MISS CONGENIALITY, and it's even more tired here). The so-called plot, involving a scheming bunch of television executives, is so heavy-handed and predictable that my eyes began to glaze over in between sex scenes. There are lots and lots of boring dialogue scenes in this tail of greed and double-cross, and it does not help at all that none of the actors and actresses here are up to reading their lines with any sort of wit or conviction (again, even by the lowly standards of porn). Anthony Crane hams it up with an accent which makes him sound like Ren of Ren and Stimpy. Stephanie tries hard at physical comedy, but it comes off more awkwardly than humorously.

I don't mean to be too hard on this film; hell, we should be grateful that all this attention is being paid to story and concept, when so many other studios try to get with simple and unoriginal gonzo action. However, all the star power (including cameos by Veronica Hart) can't make up for what is essentially, a dull and overblown (no pun intended) porno film. Even more ironic, the director's commentary and bonus materials are more interesting than the main feature itself. This is clearly a case where the DVD presentation outclasses the actual movie.

In any event, Inari Vachs kicks off the movie to a rousing start when she and Tony Tedeschi have a quickie in bed, which includes anal but no oral cumshot. It's been said by many porn fans that anything Inari is in is worth getting, and I have to agree. She is so good at her profession that she makes even the most lackluster movie better than it is. What a woman! If she had been in at least one more scene, then I would have added this disc to my own personal collection. Alas...

Chloe and Stephanie are up next, as the bright and vivacious redhead seduces the reserved Swift into some lesbian action, which is strictly by the numbers. Even Chloe's spasmodic orgasms seem a bit contrived in this uneventful outing. She returns to action with Michael J. Cox sucking his cock on a couch before getting pounded on a coffee table. The oral cumshot misses her mouth by a few inches and instead dribbles down her chest. She makes up for it by giving him some post-cum head.

I became hopeful when it came time for Taylor St. Clair to strip naked and get it on with Stephanie Swift, but as it turned out, this segment wasn't that much better than the last lesbian tryst. The absence of toys actually benefits this scene, allowing the women to use their tongues and fingers for the playing and penetration. And, hey, who am I to turn away from watching two hot brunettes kiss? Sadly, it's not enough to save this movie from the doldrums.

Stephanie Swift eventually allows herself to get fucked by Devin Wolf, but keeps her lips closed for the oral cumshot. Actually, the best straight scene aside from Inari's opener comes from Lola who can't stop expressing herself verbally when she gets it on with Anthony Crane. She's also not afraid to open up for the facial, but the camera captures it at a less than opportune angle.

The Behind The Scenes segment is fun to watch, and shows that every one on the set had a good time. Clearly, there is a playfulness and sense of easy-going humor during the production which is more amusing than what was actually taped. On the commentary track, Stephanie and director Jace Rocker offer some interesting comments, particularly during the Taylor St. Clair lesbian segment. In fact, their discussion is even more involved than that of most mainstream films, yet I felt that it was on such a slight, uneventful little porno. Still, if you end up enjoying the main feature more than I did, the supplementary materials will offer an embarrassment of bonus riches.

It has become the expected standard for Wicked that video and audio quality is excellent, and this video is no exception. If you want this movie for Stephanie Swift, you can find better action in SEX SAFARI and CROSSROADS. Unfortunately, THE PUSHOVER just doesn't do it for me.