This Girl's Life

Plot synopsis:
Moon (Juliette Marquis) is a down-to-earth young woman who happens to be one of the most popular adult film stars. She finds no fault in using her sexuality as a means of profit. While she is in the process of renewing her contract, her personal life remains a delicate issue as her father (James Woods) suffers from Parkinson's disease and a blind date (Kip Pardue) remains hesitant to get close to Moon after learning of her profession.
Moon's friend Jessie hires her to fidelity test her boyfriend, Moon agrees and decides to offer the same to other women. One of the women hires her to test her husband and Moon goes in to pretend to buy a car from the husband, a man named Terry (Michael Rapaport), and offers sex for a deal on the car. When he agrees to it, they start fooling around and she excuses herself to the bathroom, and sneaks out the bathroom window. Terry catches her before she drives off. When asking why she left she inadvertently reveals she was hired to test him by his wife. Terry gets angry, begging her not to tell his wife, saying he'll pay more. When she does not agree to remain quiet he repeatedly violently hits her car with a pipe, and threatening her.
The film cuts to scenes of a younger Moon starting out in the business. Moon starts to re-evaluate her life with the idea of starting over afresh and tells Aronson, who was interviewing two new potential porn stars, that she's an adult now and has to make better choices with herself and life. Aronson wishes her well.
After Moon leaves Aronson's place she is approached by Terry who is obviously angry that Moon told his wife about his infidelity. He attacks and threatens her with a knife saying she owes him, that she ruined his life and she needs to make it up to him. Moon tells him she quit the business. He throws her to the ground and forces himself on her. When she fights him, Terry tells her he followed her and he knows all about her. He threatens her father's safety, telling her to stop fighting him. He tries to rape her but Moon headbutts him breaking his nose and throwing him off of her. She runs out and as the film ends she goes over to see Kip.

Tags: pornographic, violence

Review:
I also heard James Woods gave a great performance in this film not to mention the thought that I may get to see some very attractive eye candy.
James Woods does a knock out job in this movie and yes you get to see some very attractive naked girls.
I know it sounds like a cheesy two bit soft core film, but the story moves fast and the portrayal of a porn star is shown with insight and strength.
Where many films have attempted this, this movie that no one has seen or heard of, did a great job with handling this subject.
This is the story of Moon, played by a positively ravishing Juliette Marquis.Moon's mother died in a car accident when she was young and takes care of her father who has Parkinson's Disease and is willing to drop anything she is doing if he needs her.
She just happens to be a porn star.There are hardly any negative characters in this movie.
Moon shows no attitude of being a successful porn star and even her boss, Aronson (played by Tomas Arana) was a likable guy.
Later in the movie, a friend of Moon's asks her to hit on her boyfriend to see if he would cheat on her if given the opportunity and you get a few unlikeable characters once this happens (good job by Michael Rapaport).
This is also where the movie takes a bit of a darker turn, but nothing huge.Juliette Marquis is a very good actress who has the looks and talent to become the next big thing in Hollywood.
I truly hope to see big things come of her.James Woods was Pops, the Parkison's ridden father, who played that part to a tee.
This was an interesting film in that it portrayed a likable individual with some good (but often indirect) character development as the porn star.
I have not seen any other films depicting the porn industry and its stars that I can think of, so I can't compare it to "the competition." I actually know a few people who have worked in this industry, and felt the characters depicted were consistent with the people I know.The lead actress did give a credible performance.
In fact, "This Girl's Life" seems to be two movies: first, it works over the relationships of internet pornstar Moon and the world around her - this part is truly great, with very well-constructed characters (specially Moon herself and her ill father, played by James Woods) and cleverly avoiding making judgements about anything; the second, which comes up on the final third of the movie, is clearly weaker, more moralist and somehow desconstructing the characters so wonderfully built on the first part.All in all, a movie that deserves to be seen...
I liked this film, mainly because of it's "real life" feeling.
I think Ebert says all about this film in just one phrase: '"This Girl's Life" is an imperfect movie with so many moments of truth that you forgive its stumbles.'That's about it, this is a very realistic, believable film with a couple of excellent performances by Juliette Marquis and James Woods.
The usual trajectory for ripoffs would be more sex and less character.I suppose in some ways, we wouldn't have "This Girl's Life" if we hadn't had "Boogie Nights," but this film is actually pretty good.
She's not exactly beautiful but she is sexy and exotic and has a nasal voice that sometimes drops into the lower register.But Marquis gets surprisingly good support from such mainstream players as Rosario Dawson, and adequate support from Cheyenne Silver, a genuine star of sex films who has a fresh-faced attractiveness that suggests she grew up on a farm and fed on nothing but cream and ripe strawberries.
Anyone who wants to see what she looks like all over can easily have his curiosity satisfied with a bit of effort.James Woods is super as Pops, Marquis' father who is stricken with Parksinson's disease.
The only investment of ego on display is his talent.If "Boogie Nights" showed us that the sex movie industry of the 1970s was like a family, "This Girl's Life" demonstrates that the family is not entirely functional these days.
His case seems to be hanging in the air at the end when, after a violent encounter with a man whose life Marquis has just professionally put an end to, she takes off with her naive young monogamous lover.I assume -- I HOPE -- that she finally got back to taking care of Pops, because his disorder is rather advanced and it would take him an hour to peel a banana.In any case, the very amateurishness of some of the performances contributes to the documentary feel of the film, but it's a documentary that is emotionally charged.A surprise, well worth watching..
The porn star Moon (Juliette Marquis) spends her time working, nursing her widowed father (James Woods) that has Parkinson disease and with her friends Jessie (Kam Heskin) and Martine (Rosario Dawson).
But when she meets the dangerous Terry (Michael Rapaport), she reevaluates her life and her relationship with Skip."This Girl's Life" is an underrated movie that follows the pattern of Ken Russell's "Whore", with the lead actress talking to the camera like in a documentary.
This is the first work that I have seen from the director Ash and the gorgeous actress Juliette Marquis and I liked what I have seen.
James Woods proves again that he is one of the most underrated actor in Hollywood, with an amazing performance of a man with Parkinson disease.
But the star of this movie is the unknown and extremely sexy and gorgeous Juliette Marquis that has a magnificent performance in the role of a porn star.
I like James Woods, and I thought his performance in this film as a father with Parkinson's was outstanding.
I was really touched watching her stop her life at times to care for her father, ass-wiping and all.Rosario Dawson made a couple of brief appearances talking about the porn life, and gave some brilliant comments.This is not really a "porn" movie, but a drama shot in documentary style showing the life of someone in the internet porn business.
it not that type of movie that i thought.it is different like one of my favorite movie "Boogie Nights".the story line of this movie is about a porn star named "moon"(Juliette marques).from her own point of view, we enter the inner side of porn industry, her relations with so-called modern society, her own father, friends and her values.the script, music, direction and acting are brilliant.especially i want to mention the character "moon" in which plays a brilliant new comer actress Juliette marques.
and i like James woods also for playing the character "pops".finally, i also want to give thanks to director ash for making such a brilliant adult drama.i would like to rate this movie: 8 out of 10..
With her beauty and intelligence it should be easy for Moon (Juliette Marquis) to enjoy a successful career, have plenty of friends and find true love, even if she is burdened by her handicapped father.
James Woods (Pops) adds a fair dose of slapstick comedy and vulgar humor.I gave this movie a 7.
James Woods does an impressive impersonation of a Parkinson's patient, and the supporting actors are good enough to sell what to me is a relatively novel story that is a little too far fetched and biased.The take home message seems to be that women are honest and hardworking, while men get what they want by lying, cheating and, if need be, through brute force.
But it really shocked me to find all those hot actors and actresses playing along.James Woods,Isaiah Washington, and especially my favorite Rosario Dawson!
She tells about her life as a porn star and how it affects her while caring for her ill fated father,James Woods.Not to mention some other problems that begin to develop in the process.
A 'slice of life' of a web-porn star who acts like so has it all together.
She juggles a career in porn, caring for her Parkinson stricken father, and later a side job as a sex investigator.
I really do think all the people who absolutely fawn over this film are blinded by Juliette Marquis's beauty (I admit she IS stunning), but that is hardly enough to life this made for cable flick up from the mediocrity of being merely average..
James Woods did really good job as Moon's father and i was kinda suprised he even played in the movie 'cause it seemed to me as really small indie movie.
before the screening the director Ash came and said few words about the movie and after there was debate with him and Juliette Marquis the actress who played Moon.
in the debate there was question about censors in US 'cause of the nudity but i don't think you can do movie about porn star and have no nudity in it, so if censors will give the movie some harsh rating 'cause of it i think a lot of younger people will miss one of best movies i've seen this year..
I liked it & James Woods was great!.
I thought this was one of James Woods best performances.
The movie has no really interesting or even surprising turning points, no good acting or thrilling music.
Porn's pumping "erotic"-level most of the time would be like, -10, whereas This Girl's Life is at 8 of 10, seriously, great subtle stuff.
With regard to that there's a nice running gag too, with Pops "disturbing" always at the worst moments.With regard to thought, one big thing I don't understand is why a lot of people think of it being very evaluative in the end, stating the good ol' cliché "porn's industry's no good".
I give him a chance because he went to medical school before turning to acting, so he ain't dumb, but I just don't like him much.The standout performance in this movie was clearly from Michael Rappaport as the car dealer.
Yup, you're one hell of an actor, Michael, you frigging nutjob!I liked the way the porn producer turned out to be a real scumbag.
It probably wasn't a coincidence that the car dealer found and attacked her right outside his studio a few moments after she quit.I found the comments about the movie and the porn industry made by Rosario Dawson to be very interesting.
How do these people get to have James Woods (who was the only person worth watching in this film, playing a man with Parkinson's), Rosario Dawson in this film?
But the movie is bold in tackling a subject like that and the actors (some of them well known, like James Woods) too.The leading actress who's more than mesmerizing in this one, seems to have gone out of the industry and if her twitter is correct, she wants to evolve to a filmmaker.
It's the industry, it's her personal life (family issues) and of course a maybe bad choice in secondary career besides the films she did.There are quite a few interesting ideas thrown around and a lot of nice but also horrible things that are happening.
'This Girl's Life' is a "Slice of life" take on life of international porn celebrity, Moon, and her musings on modern life, love and loss.'This Girl's Life' is a depressing & brutal film, but its pretty effective.
Woods has NEVER been this good.I strongly recommend 'This Girl's Life'.
This movie is veritable house of cards constructed of candid "insights" on life (analogies aplenty) and held together by watered down attempts at graphic shock value...also there are some cards.James Woods' actual talent only serves to accentuate the bear-wearing-a-funny-hat that is the rest of the movie.Also, this movie offers a rare chance to see Michael Rapaport rape someone on screen (that is, outside of a courtroom environment.) In conclusion, directors should make better movies than this and have two names..
James Woods' portrayal as leading character's-Moon-father afflicted with Parkinson's, Michael Rappaport, Tomas Arana, etc.?
The film was about a woman's journey through her brief career of porn, but the real story was the great interaction between her and her father, whom she really has a love and compassion for.
And I love it when actors portray characters who are given their same name in the movie, like he was-how embarrassing!
The life and times of a porn star are chronicled in this B grade movie, featuring a number of notable actors.
While not beautiful, newcomer Marquis (shades of Angelina Jolie) is a competent actress and an alluring presence as Moon, the porn star.
Woods plays her father, a man suffering from Parkinson's disease, and this character becomes rather tiresome after a while.
That's how Moon (Juliette Marquis) tells it; the character that carries with the plot of the movie, and is the "Mohammed Ali" of porn.
So the cell phone rings; it's Pops (James Woods), who has Parkinson's, and Moon lives for him.The latter mentioned conversation and other peculiar situations are showings of the good screenplay that Ash has constructed.
James Woods is lucid and intense in a role that is easy to play; but he doesn't care if it is easyHe takes it to its highest level.The rest of the cast includes fine performances all the way from Rosario Dawson (Martine), Michael Rapaport (Terry), Ioan Gruffudd (Daniel), Cheyenne Silver (Cheyenne), Isaiah Washington (Shane), Kam Heskin (Jessie) and many more.Surprises are also included; and I wonder: What will be the next thing to come out from this twisted or maybe brilliant mind?.
There's an interesting movie to be made about a woman who chooses to work in the adult film industry, not because she's emotionally damaged, but because she likes the money and community she finds there.
(These moments involving her father and her friends do raise the question of how this movie managed to get James Woods and Rosario Dawson to sign on.) The scenes where the lead character works as a professional entrapper, for lack of a better term, do nothing other than make her look like a fool.
One of the first things she says at the beginning of the movie is she wasn't abused like you usually think people in the sex industry were but it doesn't have to be abuse; a trauma is a trauma regardless of abuse and her mother committed suicide when she was a child that is a major trauma.
The supporting cast is solid and Woods acts his sock off as the Parkinsons afflicted father subtly dealing with the awareness that his daughter is supporting him by working in the sex industry.
This is an intriguing film that takes a sincere, albeit somewhat convoluted, look at one woman's odyssey in the Internet porn world.It may seem voyeuristic, but I find it dead-on informative in a slice-of-life manner (such as the scene where Moon is judging the potential men to sleep with and commenting on their ...
Ultimately it's about human relationships and the kind of relationships Moon (played by Juliette Marquis, who should rightfully be a star someday) wants and needs in her life.
Where the movie fails is the half-hearted moralistic turn it takes about halfway through the film, though it's honest and necessary to capture the seamier side of the industry.
It is the story of Moon, a veteran porn star who is becoming well known after 5 years of movie and Internet fame, and her life which is more than being a porn star.There are many scenes of the porn industry presented in a matter of fact fashion.
Viewers may have different moral or ethical judgments or opinions about character motivations.James Woods plays Moon's "Pop" suffering from Parkinson's in an excellent portrayal.
Juliette Marquis is excellent and beautiful.Recommended for mature adult and broad minded viewers.SPOILERS.....A theme brought up in the beginning of the movie of the difference between men and women is explored in the later half of the movie as she starts a sexual infidelity investigation service.The basic question toward the end of the movie is rather she should continue her porn career when a boyfriend and the other career opportunity offer alternatives..
Juliette Marquis Is Impressive In Her First Film.
This Girl's Life is a film narrative that revolves around the life of Moon,a porn star that was portrayed by Juliette Marquis in her movie debut.
James Woods, Michael Rapaport, Rosario Dawson and Kip Pardue play supporting roles.It was written and directed by Ash.The story examines the world of a young internet porn superstar named Moon.The drama focuses on Moon's relationships with her father,who is suffering from Parkinson's Disease; her best friend; a potential boyfriend; and her porn producer.
Told from her, a new guilt-free, voyeuristic sexuality is explored as the young sex star's world slowly unravels as she tests the boundaries of herself and those closest to her.This is a good movie that tells the truth.Despite of its many flaws,one can still fully appreciate this film as we get to know the human side of a porn superstar with regards to her relationships,trials,tribulations and the other experiences that she has had.Also,it has great performances from James Woods and Juliette Marquis,who was quite impressive considering its her first movie role..
Filmed in a pseudo documentary style, this Indie drama looks at porn star Moon(Juliette Marquis)and her rise to fame and her tribulations to leave the business.
She loves sex, and uses most of her earnings doing porn to take care of her father(James Woods), who suffers Parkinson's.
It looks like a soft porn film with a fantastic looking-star, opens with a tease of a sex scene, and then deteriorates into a soft porn story-line with VERY little pay-off.
Hey, it's got some kinda famous porn stars in it, and the lead character is better looking than any of them, so you might get your hopes up: don't.
This would work better as a real porn movie or if it were about a real porn star's life.