Much like the first After Porn Ends, some of the stories are painted in desperation and sadness while others show how these former performers have altered their existence and lifestyle. Some have used their previous career to launch fresh new startups and businesses while others languish in a world that's totally forgotten them. It's heartbreaking at times and heartwarming at others.
This second doc centers on a diverse cast of characters. Some are from the public adult theater days and others are from the huge home video boom of the 1990s and 2000s. An 81 year old Georgina Spelvin waxes on her days as the star of Behind The Green Door and a multitude of other smut classics as an emotionally damaged Chasey Lain chronicles her fall from stardom. At the opposing end of the spectrum, we get a Ginger Lynn in her mid-'50s enjoying the hell out of her life as well as the world's most famous MILF, Lisa Ann talking about how much she adores the business and all it's done for her. After Porn Ends 2 also shines a brief spotlight on the tragedies that befell Janine Lindemulder as her child was taken from her custody and put in the protection of Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. Other stars are featured, each showing the variety of ways that porn changed their lives for the better or worse.
Perhaps the best thing about these movies is that they present these stars as regular people. The documentary humanizes them and shows that they're not just box cover starlets. Wagoner's feature gives us an introspective look inside their personalities and shows us the damage that's been done, how they've used the industry to propel themselves, and how some just can't escape the industry they chose. In some instances, their pain is visible. In others, you can see how they've taken it all in stride and have rode a wave to professional successes most of us would give our left arm for. Tabitha Stevens is now photographic artist. Darren James is an activist and assists with helping others with the dreaded AIDS virus. And Brittany Andrews has built numerous brands that bring her great income along with her professional DJ'ing gig.
I think at the root of After Porn Ends 2 lies a great message that separates all this people from the taboos of the industry. They're all extremely honest folks that lay it all on the line. None of them shy away from telling all and giving their honest opinions of an entertainment industry that could have chewed them up and spit them out. Yes, some of them have had a painful, less gratifying experience. But, Wagoner's approach gives us all angles. He doesn't falter in his steady approach, allowing the viewer many different aspects to draw from.
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Score
-CG