Pleasure Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Pleasure Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 7, 2022

Co-writer/director Ninja Thyberg originally shot “Pleasure” as a short film in 2013, helping to attract attention to her burgeoning career with a look at the technical ways and psychological damage of the adult film industry. Returning to the material, Thyberg looks to expand the experience for the lead character, depicted here as a young Swedish woman hoping to break into the business doing whatever she can to score gigs. Thyberg increases the run time and ups the graphic content, but there’s little dramatic expansion for “Pleasure,” which plays with a certain bluntness, but any emotionality is difficult to find. The troubling details of life in X-rated entertainment is what holds attention here, as Thyberg doesn’t have much in the way of characterization, presenting a simplistic take on the deadening arc of a pornography participant.

Linnea (Sofia Kappel) has arrived in Los Angeles from Sweden, looking to establish her presence in the adult film industry. She rebrands herself as Bella, seeking employment with fringe players who create rough videos, making friends with Bear (Chris Cock), who seems to be aware that Linnea is moving too fast. Bonding with her roommate, Joy (Revika Anne Reustle), a fellow aspiring porn star, Linnea has her sights set on impressing agent Mark Spiegler (playing himself), looking to become one of his elite “Spiegler Girls,” doing whatever she can to catch his attention. However, the daily life of an actress proves to be physically rough, with Linnea agreeing to increasingly violent scenes to build up her fanbase, making her a valuable commodity in a competitive business. Getting close to some form of success, Linnea strives to steel herself from the challenges and horrors she encounters, maintaining her ambition as she loses pieces of herself in the process.

“Pleasure” isn’t completely plot-oriented, with Thyberg preferring to follow Linnea around Los Angeles as she attempts to establish herself as a new player on the porn scene. She’s fresh from Sweden, offering contempt for the country, hoping to find a more exciting ride in California, home to the big dream that is adult film stardom. We watch as Linnea arrives at her first job, dealing with intense “stage fright” and confronted with personal hygiene requirements she wasn’t expecting. She meets Bear, a veteran male performer who recognizes Linnea’s nerves, offering her a level of comfort that isn’t the scripted kind provided by his colleagues, who work carefully but firmly to get Linnea back in front of a camera to do her scene. With the first day down, Linnea is now empowered to keep going, and “Pleasure” tracks her development in town, going on a hunt for a major agent while agreeing to more jobs to help beef up her social media follower count, building her brand.

If there’s a story in “Pleasure,” it concerns Linnea’s relationship with Joy, another aspiring porn star with a bit more experience and a less refined look. They’re roommates with the same goal, which gives Linnea some genuine human contact after spending her afternoons with cold strangers. There’s also the vague outline of aspiration, as Linnea focuses on Ava (Evelyn Claire), one of Spiegler’s top talent and, to the outsiders, the epitome of glamour and success. Linnea wants to be the new Ava, but she needs the credits, and “Pleasure” highlights the character’s experiences while working on a BSDM shoot, which tests her physical limitations, and she agrees to a scene involving two men tasked with roughing her up, breaking her down emotionally. Sexual assault is mentioned, but Thyberg quickly moves on from the topic, preferring to stick with the experiential nature of the picture, including Linnea’s ultimate breakthrough in the business after agreeing to a “double anal” scene.

Pleasure Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Pleasure" primarily deals with the bright locations and interiors of Linnea's journey, which brings her to mansions and warehouses. Detail delivers throughout the viewing experience, exploring the weathered faces of porn performers and the thick application of makeup. Skin particulars are sharp, examining full body shots in graphic detail, highlighting fine hairs and bodily fluids. Costuming is fibrous, showcasing all sorts of fetish gear and lacy lingerie, along with more cottony casual wear. Colors are bright and appealing, with crisp primaries and more aggressive hues on outfits. Red lips pop, along with Kappel's blonde hair. Delineation is satisfactory. Mild blockiness and slight banding are detected at times.

Pleasure Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA gets a major low-end push with soundtrack selections, which provide a heavy throb during party sequences. The electropop offerings also supply a circular sense of listener engagement, with crisp synth. Dialogue exchanges are clear, supporting varied performance abilities and vocal volume. Atmospherics are inviting, with party sequences lively with crowd bustle, and room tone is appreciable as the adventure visits all sorts of locations.

Pleasure Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction features director Ninja Thyberg and actress Sofia Kappel, who both identify as first-time filmmakers, sharing their support for "Pleasure." And Kappel makes a specific comment about feeling "safe and protected" during the shoot, perhaps to calm viewers who may be concerned about the performer.

• Deleted Scenes (HD) include "Bathroom" (:59) and "LAX" (:42).

• Camera Test (5:01, HD) follows actress Sofia Kappel around for a few moments, observing her as she strikes poses and looks deep into the lens.

• Makeup Test (5:43, HD) returns to actress Sofia Kappel, who, once again, strikes poses and looks deep into the camera lens, this time fully made-up as Bella.

• Audition Tape (5:27, HD) is 2017 clip of Sofia Kappel, working with an off-camera Ninja Thyberg on a scene from "Pleasure."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:16, HD) is included.

Pleasure Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Pleasure" is fascinating when exploring the inner workings of adult shoots, which require thorough cavity cleansing and penile injections. Personalities are varied and casual encounters are somewhat amusing, as Thyberg reinforces the awkwardness of set life, which requires immediate, and occasionally profound, intimacy. Less successful is the dramatic content of the picture, which basically charts Linnea's growing inhumanity as she rises to fame, losing herself along the way. It's not a particularly original take for a feature that offers surprising detail when it comes to nudity and bodily fluids, and while Kappel bares everything in the part, she remains an aloof screen presence, with Linnea the least interesting part of the movie. While "Pleasure" is certainly eye-opening and real when it comes to positions of power in the adult film business, it could certainly use finer points about abuse and consent, and a more defined lead character.