Finding Bliss

Plot synopsis:
After a long humbling year temping as a traffic cop on a studio lot, Jody is faced with the hard decision of taking the only well-paying industry job she has yet been offered — editing porn at Grind Productions, a profitable adult film company run by former porn star Irene Fox (Kristen Johnston).
At first horrified by the prospect of exposing herself to the cockroaches of the film industry, not to mention the effect it would have on her strict Jewish parents, Jody has a remarkable change of heart when she realizes that Grind has all the facilities she needs to make her own low budget movie — on the sly of course — but things get complicated when Jody meets Jeff Drake (Matthew Davis), the charming Herr Director of adult films. Jeff, also an award-winning filmmaker, once had his own dreams of making "real" films, but now is a hard-worn cynic who masks his disappointment behind a façade of irony. In Jody, he sees the idealism he once had, while Jody starts to face her own sexual hang-ups as she begins to get aroused by the porn she so harshly judges. Jody and Jeff get close to each other, but she gets hurt when she sees him making out with one of his actresses, Sindi, who was actually taking advantage of Jeff in his drunken state. The movie made by Jody is well received by critics, and Jeff is also nominated for an AVN Award for his movie. Jody wants to set things right with him; she accepts help from Bliss, the lead actress in both Jody's and Jeff's movies, but with different identities, and pretends to be her to gain entry at an award function. On stage, when Jeff receives his award, he announces his retirement from the Adult Industry to move on. Jeff calls Bliss for special thanks. He realizes that Jody is in disguise as Bliss, and they kiss.

Tags: romantic

Review:
"Finding Bliss" is just a middle-of-the-road, soft-core film about a young film-maker struggling to succeed in Hollywood.
Unfortunately it doesn't play out much better than just a student film itself.It begins with every cliché and plot advance you expect to find in a chick flick.
I found "Finding Bliss" to just be a Hollywood-reflective soft-core film that is not nearly as insightful as it was supposed to be..
Finding Bliss is a fun, clever, entertaining, and very unique peek at the "porn" business as seen through the eyes of a wannabe filmmaker.
The story centers on Jody, who gets awarded "most likely to succeed" at her film school graduation, only to find out that her dreams of success in Hollywood may turn out to be, well just that, dreams.
Through a series of both fortunate and unfortunate events, Jody finds herself working at Grind Productions, a purveyor of adult fare looking to crossover into mainstream entertainment.
Porn and mainstream start off like apples and oranges, but as the story progresses, the lines begin to blur and Jody finds herself rethinking some of her preconceived notions about the biz, both Porn and Mainstream.
The sexuality and language are for laughs and not for shock, making this a great date night movie for adults.
LeeLee Sobieski is great as Jody, and shows that if given the part, she can carry a movie.
Matt Davis as Jeff Drake, the award winning Porn director brings great depth to his character and his complex past and present.
Jamie Kennedy's talents are well suited for his character Dick (literally and figuratively), and the rest of the cast in no particular order Kristen Johnston, Donnamarie Recco, Mircea Monroe, PJ Byrne complement the heart and soul of the story.
I saw this at Slamdance and I really enjoyed it.It's about a struggling filmmaker (Leelee S) who takes a job editing porn, but it's really more about her character's journey into her own issues (of the past and present) ...
and the fact that this self-discovery takes place amidst the porn industry, well, that adds a good dose of humor and a bit of sex.There's some laugh out loud moments, usually in the form of shock/crude humor or irony.
There's also some drama and romance mixed in there, so it's honestly hard to classify it to one genre of film.It's a lower-budget indie, but it has a great cinematic look with great performances by all the actors.
The actor opposite Leelee (Matthew Davis) initial appears as a jaded, cynical character, but of course, there is more beneath the surface and it's rewarding to see his character slowly unveil.Fun movie, overall.
The acting and directing were wonderful, especially for an independent film.
The story has a heart,good values and lots of fun to watch!!!
Matt Davis, Donna Marie Recco and Jamie Kennedy are true professionals- very good acting by all!!!
It must have been difficult to make a film about the porn industry, while keeping it semi-clean, and still making it funny, yet showing the deep emotions of the characters.
I have only seen this type of humor associated to male-led comedies, and I think it is quite bold to approach it from a female perspective -- and without apologizing for it.
Delivering hard laughs and, at the same time, portraying compelling characters that will make us care is a hard balancing act, but I think Bliss succeeds at both things.
Its in-your-face humor has nothing to envy to the crassest Farrelly brothers' flicks, but at the same time it shows a true indie sensibility in the leading character's journey to grow comfortable with her own sexuality.
This film is a warm, witty comedy that involves a clash of two cultures, just as "Pretty Woman" was.
Gary Marshall is the narrator/director of "Pretty Woman" and he is in the movie "Finding Bliss" and the catalyst in a way for everything that happens.Unfortunately, while Pretty Woman made zillions of dollars, "Finding Bliss" only made two dollars.
This is unfortunate, because I think anybody who like "Pretty Woman" would enjoy "Finding Bliss" While the film is sometimes formulaic in the romantic comedy mode, there are some strikingly original scenes.
The scenes of Sobieski getting turned on by the pornography that she's editing is genuinely erotic and striking.
It dances softly around the lines separating mass market and porn films.I watched Julie Davis' "Amy's O" and also found it a charming comedy dealing with sex.
Besides a great performance from Sobrieski (which one always expects), Kristen Johnson and Denise Richards also give wonderfully comic and sweet performances.One may criticize the film for having a naive or romantic notion of pornographic/adult film-making.
In a sense, rather than being realistic, this film could be considered more of 1950's movie fantasy in which virginal Doris Day gets turned on, rips off her pajamas, beds Rock Hudson, yet still manages to get married and live happily ever after.Does every film about the pornography movie industry need to be a moral lesson on the terrible abuse that often goes on in that industry.
Perhaps from a moralist point of view it does.However, we should consider this film does give a utopian vision of a gentler, more sophisticated porn industry that cares about its performers and especially women.
If you have protests about the liberal morality of "Finding Bliss," you should have the same protests with "Pretty Woman.".
It had an excellent combination of humour and romance with an adult entertainment twist.The acting was great and it was good to see familiar faces.
I've always liked Denise Richards and she was very good in this movie.
Leelee Sobieski was also entertaining.I highly recommend this movie!
It's a very smart take on the porn industry from a girl's point of view.
The girl is played by Leelee Sobieski who hasn't done much lately, so it was great to see her in such a different role.
Denise Richards plays against type as the good girl and pulled it off, much to my surprise.
what I really liked about this film was that it didn't play into all the stereotypes of most romantic comedies.
Everything was a little different than expected and the porn star characters were completely lovable and real.
Jamie Kennedy brought a lot of depth to his dumb as bricks porn stud character and the actress who played Sindi truly broke my heart at the end.
There were a lot of really dirty jokes, but the movie was also sweet and romantic which made it a very unique film.
I usually find most romantic comedies to be the same, but this was unlike anything I've ever seen.
Leelee Sobieski plays the lead, and is charming and accessible, but what really works is that she is supported by some hilarious actors like Kristen Johnston and Jamie Kennedy.
I honestly didn't expect much and would never have bothered to leave a review, but the previous reviews were to preposterous to have been genuine.Wooden acting, terrible dialogue, utterly predictable plot and possibly the worst sound track I have ever heard; there is really no reason to see this film.
I am actually a fan of Lee Lee Sobieski and keep hoping she gets a break into bigger roles, but this film was a serious bump in the road.Absolutely terrible..
Has a few zingy one-liners that keep it from being a complete dud, and a couple characters/actors that do well (the tech guy, the female head of the studio and "Jeff Drake", imo) but otherwise a yawner.
(Also not really any nudity to speak of, so don't bother if you're thinking it's a cheap way to get some thrills).Also has *nothing* meaningful to do with a woman getting hired to make pr0n from a female perspective or a (male) director trying to make classy pr0n (at least to me).
It's one of those movies you either love or hate, and that depends on your own personal sensibilities about sex, romance, and mostly, porn.
First off, because the film is from a young woman's point of view and takes place in the porn industry it opens itself up for criticism.
It takes an honest look at a profession that most consider disgusting and immoral, and although the main character herself is disdainful of porn, she comes to realize that people are the same everywhere, in any job, and for that alone, it's a very politically incorrect film.
The movie doesn't condescend or vilify the porn stars, on the contrary, it finds the humanity in them.
When Jody ends up getting turned on by the porn she is editing, the film veers off into territory that is sexy, funny, and even a little sad.
Watching a sexually inexperienced and insecure woman getting turned on by pornography is quite realistic, and probably something most people are afraid to see, and god knows it's probably a nightmare for most feminists, but for me, I found this movie fresh, insightful, and completely courageous..
Awkward mix of romantic drama and sex comedy.
Instead it is an awkward mix of romantic drama and sex comedy.
I know that it is a good movie can be equally enjoyed by both sexes, but this tries to combine the genres which have a set audience in mind.It is a B grade movie.
Even Leelee Sobieski has done not done a good job.
Everything is just to contrived.By the way it is not a sex comedy, so if you are expecting that I recommend you watch something else.
There is a small payoff for those who like romantic movies, but I don't think it is worth it to watch the whole thing..
This was a surprising eye opener for being an independent film yet it was one of the funniest that I've seen in a long time.
The humor comes from the best place of all, the underbelly of adult entertainment, which has seen it's share of jokes.
However, the sense of humor along with the well hidden, good nature behind a lot of the characters makes for a fantastic film with a great twist!
I would say this film is very under-rated and VERY well rounded and would also say that this movie is certainly not for kids..
A smart and hilarious movie which blends traditional romantic comedy with a fresh independent point of view.
I've never seen a film quite like 'Finding Bliss'.
The first half of the film is a raunchy, over-the-top character piece about an idealistic college grad, Jody, who moves to Hollywood with the dream of making romantic comedies.
She ends up getting hired to edit a porn film, and being broke and desperate, takes the job.
The second half of the film moves into romantic comedy territory when Jody falls for bad boy porn director Jeff Drake (played by Matt Davis, a delectable actor).
The porn stars aren't the typical trashy vacant types we so often see in films (even dim-witted Jamie Kennedy ends up having a loyal, loving heart), and good girl Jody isn't quite the good girl after all, but is a complicated woman, who makes choices that often contradict what she thinks she wants, and is really quite unlike any female heroine in recent memory.
In this film, that counts for not only romantic comedy, but real life.
Young woman in the adult film industry.
This is not your typical romantic comedy.A young Jewish woman named Jody Balaban ends up editing porn films.There she meets a charming porn director Jeff Drake.Finding Bliss (2009) is directed by Julie Davis.Leele Sobieski is just the right gal to play Jody.Matthew Davis does great work as Jeff.Denise Richards is terrific as Laura/Bliss.Jamie Kennedy is quite funny as Dick Harder.3rd Rock from the Sun's Kristen Johnston is great as Irene.Mircea Monroe is marvelous as Sindi.Caroline Aaron and Tim Bagley are very good as Jody's parents Debra and Alan.Garry Marshall is seen as himself, as is porn legend Ron Jeremy.This is a pretty sweet movie, despite the fact it takes place in the porn industry.It is about these two persons finding each other.At first these two share pretty few similarities.Jody is sexually more conservative while Jeff makes women do all kinds of acts in movies.The movie manages also to be quite funny.Like the dildo business.And it is pretty hot..
I have to say I too wanted to like this movie but unfortunately there was very little to root for other that Denise Richards and almost all of the supporting cast.
There wasn't a second that I bought LeeLee Sobieski as a "film geek", she was too ...
It strangely felt at times that the actors were saying someone else's line from another scene in someone else's movie.
It's almost like I wish they could cut out her scenes and put them in a better movie..
One, the cover of the DVD said "It's Boogie Nights for women", the second was that it was about a recent film school graduate who gets to work in the porn industry.
Well, not only to pay the bills, but so that she can use the studio at night and edit suites to make her own damn movie.
You can immediately tell, if you couldn't from the cast: Leelee Sobieski, Denise Richards, Jamie Kennedy, Kristen Johnston and then some porn stars.
It was written and directed by a woman, so the film is her basically a woman's view of the porn industry.
Obviously working as an editor on a porn movie during the day and directing your own movie at night will take a toll on you, it does for our lead character.
The real reason this film fails is because not only does it lack humour, but it lacks heart.
Psychological studies have been done that show a difference between the things that men and women find funny, and this movie, like "Sex And The City," ought to appeal to females.The story itself, no doubt covered elsewhere, has Sobieski as a recent graduate of film school who can only find work as an editor for what the handsome young producer calls "adult entertainment." She has to learn what a "gaper" is.
Young Film Editor Dreams of Making It Big in Hollywood.
I found it to be one of the most engaging, heart-warming, and funny romantic comedies of the year.
It always amazes me how some larger budget films get all of the hype and promotion when they have no real "heart" and a thin plot line, and how small budget movies such as this, with a great story and plot line are passed over.
The movie has a lot of heart.The story is about a girl who dreams since childhood of becoming a film maker, seeks her dream in Hollywood, only to be rebuffed by the usual obstacles, until she unknowingly responds to an ad for her editing skills and finds she is being interviewed by a porn studio.
A devil's bargain is struck, with possible predictable consequences, but the laughs from the hapless cast members, and the ups and downs of her relationships with them make for a wonderful story, well told, with a meaningful ending.Hopefully, this film will see a broader release and get the audience it deserves..
A mild comedy love story that isn't the porn movie that it seems to be..
I found this movie to be very good and dealt with the subject of Adult Entertainment in a way that did not over sexualize the movie or that it would cross the boundary of porn.
While LeeLee Sobieski did a good job carrying this film, I personally had a little difficulty with her filling this role following and often reflecting back to the job that she did in Joan of Arc; And I can't myself seem to move beyond how different these two roles are from one another.
Yet I recall her bit part in Eyes Wide Shut and seem to understand her versatility while she seeks to define and identify the type of actress that she wants to be remembered for, I truly hope that she and her fans choose not to define her by roles such as her two films Eyes Wide Shut and Finding Bliss which may stereotype her as a women of poor choices.
although I must acknowledge that she may have taken the role in Eyes Wide Shut just to work with the Stanley Kubrick.All the actors in this film were well fitted to their roles, Although I felt that the script and some of the dialog seemed to have holes that could have been filled better.
such as the basket of sex toys.Overall I would recommend this film to others with the stern warning and promise that while it was breaching a subject that many may find undesirable and often using language that may be broad in its descriptions as a way to bring reality to the story, This movie was done with as much taste as it could be given and still point out some of the realities of the Adult Entertainment industry.
This is a romantic comedy that uses the pron industry as a background so guys will watch it.
The adult aspect is the crude porn language and simulated sex scenes.Leelee Sobieski stars a Jody, a naive near-virginal woman with her own sexual hang-ups.
She ends up editing adult videos for director Jeff Drake (Matt Davis) who wants to show adult movies in main stream art theaters.
Jody has her own script, which is perhaps too autobiographical, about a girl who wants to wait for sex.
She uses the studio...and their actors to make the film.
It seems every porno star wants to be a legitimatize actor and would do anything for the opportunity.The movie was mildly funny.
This isn't a parody or a satire despite the movie plot being about the porn industry.
It has all the elements of a typical porn movie: pun name, hesitant virgin, perfect bodies, gratuitous sex.
It's not a romantic comedy.
Despite no education or experience, porn stars are genuine actors and deserve to cross over.