The team of writer Melissa Monet and director Jim Enright gave Wicked Pictures one of its better movies two decades ago with this very well-acted portrayal of an old theme - giving a person a chance to relive their life over differently.
It's posited as more or less science fiction, though the filmmakers do not dwell on the mechanics of how this fantasy premise is achieved. In a fine NonSex performance, one of porn's oldie studs Dave Cummings plays John, seen gazing at an old photo of himself and pal Harry in better days long ago. Suddenly a young man (Steven St. Croix) pops up and claims to be Harry, with a tall tale of having had a makeover and living a new life with a new youthful look (and new young female playmates).
Harry tries to sell his old friend on making the transformation, and soon John is caught up with a malevolent group, personified by Tina Tyler in a strong NonSex role as Miss Cunningham, its chief recruiter, a tough lady indeed.
How John fares in his new life, now named Mike and played by Randy Spears, makes for an engrossing drama/thriller, with plenty of strong sex content included. What makes it different from the norm (then and especially now) is how Monet and Enright maintain the viewer's interest and involvement with the characters and the story, rather than creating the usual impatience engendered in a genre where the audience is likely to think "hey, let's get on with the sex!".
Another quality NonSex acting job is delivered by mature beauty Terry J. Hunter as John's wife (and fooled into thinking she's a widow by the mean-spirited company run by Miss Cunnngham) Maggie, while Avy Scott leads a long list of beauties in the female sex roles. Spears is far better than usual in handling the angst of his character who gets in way over his head, and St. Croix is believable as the selfish friend-turned-bad-guy.
I was greatly pleased by the thorough list of cast credits, giving all the players, sex or no sex, recognition.
