Going Down in LA LA Land

(2012, USA, Casper Andreas)
**

Pretty boy Adam (Matthew Lewindski) arrives in Los Angeles from New York to rescue his struggling career as an actor. As he tries to create a career for himself, he racks up a lot of debt with his also failed actress friend Candy. In desperate need for cash, he tries his hand at a number of jobs and ends up working as an office assistant at a gay porn studio. With debts continuing piling up, he decides to use his pretty boy looks in porn films as well as turning to escorting. Can he save himself? Will someone save him?

Some of Going to LA LA Land was mildly enjoyable, but the film suffered from one major flaw: the entire premise of the story. The main character was from New York but the film made out as if a whole new world of drugs and sex had opened up to him. I have never been to the USA but I imagine an openly gay, pretty boy from New York may have been around people who do drugs or rent boys before. Even if he had not taken part, he would have made a conscious decision not to do so. So I do not know why the film makes out he is innocent where a whole new world for him the minute he moved to LA.

In addition to this, the film makes the mistake of making Adam good until he delves into pornography. I hate such a two dimensional perspective as interesting characters are ones whose good points and flaws are recognised.

This is a bog standard 'gay independent' film where the eye candy is high and the acting and content is low. This film is about 20 minutes too long and plays out like a daytime TV movie with its level of melodrama. The film spends way too long with Adam getting further and further into debt, so the rest of the story is squashed in at the end.

Some of the acting and characters were dire. I hated the best friend Candy in particular, as the OTT 'fag hag'. Also Nick, (played by the director), was irritating as the drug addict who gets Adam into the business.

Scenes like when Adam starts losing it and downs red wine (WTF?) as if it was strong vodka let this film down a lot. Dramatic scenes like this were actually comical throughout the film. There were small nuggets of entertainment but not really worth the time you invest in it.

If you like preppy muscle boys getting their clothes off, watch this. Otherwise avoid.