Mope

A helpful warning for anyone finding this in the "Comedy" section of a streaming service like I did.

As a drama, this is movie has a lot of promise, and a strong directorial debut, but I'd definitely consider it a drama with comedic moments, and not a comedy. Overall this is about as comedic as Requiem for a Dream, with a similar descent into the personal hell of the characters that never turns around.

Without giving spoilers, I wanted to include that one of the sex scenes contains graphic non-consensual moments, with the woman visibly upset. I'm leaving this as a very generic description so people can know what they're getting into when watching this movie.

I love movies with dark material, and don't want to dissuade anyone from watching this, I just want to put a warning out there in the reviews for anyone coming into this expecting it to be a comedy, so people know what they're getting into.

Now I was not aware of the term mope ... if you are it doesn't really mean one of us has issues. Whichever you may think that is. And anyone not aware will be getting quite the information about that term. These are people in the porn industry that most watching the content are not aware of. You can feel bad for them I reckon - the ones depicted here are a bit of an exaggaration of what Mopes are and what they do.

Having said that, the movie is not easy and takes turns that some may disagree with. And while this is not an adult film (nothing really explicit is shown), the situations overall are quite adult as you can imagine. Nothing for the squeamish then and nothing for those who may have issues (identifying) with our two male leads ... everyone else will be stunned, if not really entertained (which is a weird thing to say, I know)

I really feel I have to give this a 6.5 on here. In some ways it was quite interesting to me, and I feel some things were well captured here. However this film is certainly not for everyone, in fact not nearly everyone. It is a true story that claims to have kept the story as authentic as possible. Some may know by now that I'm big on films that duplicate reality in a very believable way. For the most part, this film is quite believable, as extreme as it is. Not every scene feels 100% authentic, but overall they did a fairly good job in this area. Aside from having some interesting aspects, it also has some pretty hilarious moments here and there. Overall however it is a pretty bleak and sad story that involves a person with mental health issues. The story itself however is really not all that bleak until near the end. If you have some interest in it, I would definitely suggest giving it a watch.

6.5/10.

As someone who has been a performer in the adult film industry for 11 years now, and someone who unknowingly had my toes dipped in the "mope" pool in my first couple of years in, I can attest to the fact that the makers of this film either A. Were involved with the adult industry themselves at some point, or B. Truly did their research, because everything from the terminology used, to the tone of these sets and the way people are treated and spoken to, to the progression of how things occur, were all nearly 100% accurate. Plus, about 50% of the cast was made up of actual XXX industry people and that added to the legitimacy of the vibe as well.

Perhaps it is because I have been in similar shoes and experienced some of these themes myself in reality, but I didn't really perceive the film as a comedy at all, and honestly comedy is generally a whack genre - this movie has more merit than that. It is very effective as a jarring, bleak re-telling of a tragic real life story, which should be considered this film's primary purpose anyhow - it's a solid drama and it's will make you feel like you need to take a shower afterwards, exactly as it should. This is a very dark, very real pocket of reality that most people have no idea exists - and this is the only film that's ever been made about it, so it deserves credit for doing it loyally.

It was my first impression of lead actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and he definitely steals the show, selling a very unique character that somehow manages to be incredibly complex and incredibly simple at the same time. At first he just seems naive and dumb, but as the film progresses you learn there is a lot more going on with him psychologically - this is one of the most impressive aspects of the film - it's very well written and VERY well acted, with great intensity. Familiar face Brian Huskey also puts in a very memorable, and relatively striking performance as their "boss", in a sense. The smaller role from David Arquette was a welcomed surprised and he ANNIHILATED his role too - Level 100 jerk, fully sold.

I do think one of the ways the film could have improved overall is by trimming off a bit of the fat in the edit, but otherwise the film flows very well. I think it's directed, shot, and edited very tastefully. I was impressed. The film also has some really great original music on the score by Jonathan Snipes of the group clipping, which I will be adding to my Spotify playlists.

Now, not everyone will be able to handle or appreciate this movie, considering the subject matter and the tone which is strictly in the realm of seediness and grime. There are only two scenes that are truly set to repulse those who don't have a head for perversion or a stomach for large amounts of bodily fluids, and one of them is the opening scene. But, know that most of the movie is nothing like the opening scene - however, it is the most appropriate and necessary way to open this film, 100%. All in all, a lot of people who don't realize how real this seedy underworld is are gonna think this is some try-hard trash film, but the truth is it's an important document eternalizing some niche history dealing with a bizarre and primarily unknown shadowy corner of contemporary U.S. culture.

Today out came a strangely compelling oddball, something raw, filthy, bleak, for some perhaps even repulsive, but on the flipside the filth actually has a heart, and style. I had no clue of what "mope" meant in the porn industry, but now I know, and not only that, also the true and seedy story behind "Mope" - a story the film stays quite true to, bringing to screen one of the possibly most grounded and pragmatic depictions of adult film industry.

"Mope" introduces us to the tragic story of Steve Driver and Tom Dong, two low-end porn actors that become best friends, and together seek opportunities and reach for fame, only to achieve infamy. Taking place in a physically and mentally seedy and otherwise deviant slice of this world, "Mope" feels confident and assuring within the confines of it. It's not an adult film though, in a sense that, despite being set in such universe, "Mope" is not an overly explicit flick. Having said that, it's not a movie to have somebody walk in on without proper context.

Steven is an enthusiastic young man with couple of troubles on his shoulders, and his absolute American dream is to become an adult film star, and Tom Dong is all up for it - therein lies the heart of this movie, in the process of a friendship, one that ends in tragedy. "Mope" starts on an uplifting note and stays quite fun and funny for at least half the runtime, though I imagine the subject matter could a big "if" for some, for one might feel the urge to take a shower after seeing this filthy flagship carrying some sleazy and homely men. "Mope" calls for empathy, but there isn't a whole lot of that in the society it presents - this is something that really depends on the viewer. The comedy factor, however, is inarguable, and it's rare when a movie of such mood ends on a note so bleak and depressing.

The seemingly nearly perfectly cast ensemble of actors do a great job and do not take away from the established authenticity of "Mope" - my personal highlights are Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as the energetic lead, and to many probably a seen face someplace, Brian Huskey, portraying the studio manager, writer, producer, director, the mighty leader. There isn't really a bad performance around, and if "Mope" hasn't been sold yet, horror fans might be pulled in by David Arqutte.

"Mope", by all means, feels and looks like a low budget feature, but once again, it seems to be the least of problems for B flicks nowadays. The camera work is decent, cinematography's easy to digest, easy to enjoy, and, small thing, but I personally like movies with no black bars nowhere. As for FX, there's one sequence of real violence, one that carries weight, and likely could've carried more of it if it wasn't shying away with so many cuts and close-ups.

Wether it's a story that needed to be adapted or not might be up for some discussion, but personally I enjoyed it, found it to a well-executed and odd mix of things, and actually compelling, so it is a 6/10 from me. This being director Lucas Heyne's full feature directional debut, I'm intrigued for what comes next, because "Mope" is a proof that the man knows how to find heart and substance in demanding scenarios.