Being Ron Jeremy

This is a hilarious riff on BEING JOHN MALKOVICH that delivers as both a witty satire on the porn industry and as a showcase for its talented leading man, Brian Berke. Berke, the stand-up comedian who directed the film, sharply parodies not only Jeremy's image but the psychology of the typical male porn viewer. The results are outrageous and sometimes insightful, and Jeremy's willingness to play along with the joke makes for some infectious fun. Like Malkovich in the Spike Jonze film, Jeremy is making fun not of himself but of the public's perception of him, and aided by the sharp writing he gives a genuinely winning performance. Andy Dick adds comic support in some of the movie's funniest scenes, and Berke's self-deprecating style marks him as a sort of X-rated Woody Allen. A very satisfying piece of entertainment.

I happened to meet Ron Jeremy, at a convention in Las Vegas a few years back, when he posed for some photo ops with me, he was very cordial, I was offered to purchase this DVD signed by Mr Jeremy, from a gentleman standing next to him, I agreed, it was the least I could do, my friend and I took several pictures. A year later I decided to view the DVD, fully not knowing what was in store for me. Personally, I thought it was well done, especially considering it was probably on the lower end of budgets. It was funny, although it was short, only about 40 minutes, I thought it could have been longer(How times have you ever heard someone say that!) I also realized while viewing, that I had purchased the DVD from Brian Burke, who wrote, directed, cooked for the cast, mopped the floors.. You get the picture.. He also was very nice. Well, basically I expected absolutely nothing from this film and received plenty, I enjoyed it and spoke highly about it to some friends, I lent it to a female friend, and she hated it.. Go figure, maybe it's a guy movie? Or maybe we just have (in)different tastes?. If you get a chance, try to view this movie.

This movie is hotter than your grandmamas panties! You better axe somebody!!! Great flick..... I highly recommend this film. Berke is not only a great director, but a great actor as well. Who wouldnt want to be Ron Jeremy? Sign me up!!!

Thank goodness we live in a system in which films like this get made. Stolen premise? Sure. Amateur acting? Uh huh. Lousy production values? Guilty. But it doesn't matter. If you can rope Andy Dick, Ron Jeremy and a few of your closest porn actresses into playing along, you've got a movie many will watch. Ironically, the one thing a film about porn lacks is a strong female character — the actress here is cute, but her performance is reminiscent of, well, a porn actresses. The beauty of this set-up, which is really nothing more than a bar conversation ("Did you see Being John Malkovich? Wouldn't it be funny if it was Ron Jeremy instead?), is that since it's about porn all the lousy things about it can easily be construed as an homage to the industry. Unfortunately, comedy does require a deft touch, and the director (who I think was also the writer and star) may have taken off more than he can chew. There are some decent gags here that a more experienced comedic director would have milked. The guy is still charming, and one hopes he continues writing more material. Speaking of charming, how about that Ron Jeremy? He manages a rather difficult feat, playing a lovable guy who just happens to be a porn actor. Again, he could use some direction and needs to hone a more naturalistic style, but Hollywood loves a crossover and this, coupled with his stint on The Surreal Life and his role in the cult film Orgazmo show he's capable of one day playing a character other than Pizza Guy or Plumber.

"Why be John Malkovich when you could be Ron Jeremy?" Exactly! What red-blooded American male wouldn't want to be a porn star for just one day? Berke lets you fulfill that fantasy through this hilarious spoof of an interesting movie. Well done and well worth catching. The extras on the DVD, especially Ron Jeremy's stand-up routine and the female porn stars preparing for their roles, make it a bargain at any price. I give it my highest rating.