Young Matthew Ludwinski becomes the Dirk Diggler of 21st century in Going Down In LA LA Land. The obvious comparison for this film is with Boogie Nights. Unlike the other film Going Down In LA LA Land as a gay film gets up front an honest about the porn industry being a great gay industry. And we have up front gay characters.
Ludwinski after breaking up with his boyfriend in New York decides to try to make it in Los Angeles as an actor. Of course he soon realizes that Los Angeles is the only place other New York where every other attractive young person is trying to make in film and television and its worse here.
Ludwinski sort of slides and glides into the porn film industry first behind then up front of the camera. Then it's a bit of escorting and then he hooks up with Michael Medico, a most closeted star of a G rated situation comedy. As it turns out Medico is a lonely man looking to express his love which in his case still not dare speak its name to Middle America.
What was interesting here is during the course of the film, Ludwinski could have taken any number of different courses professionally and romantically and his life could have been tragic or nondescript or any number of other life places. Go back over the film and see what I'm talking about.
Allison Lane plays his best friend who gives Ludwinski room and board while he's in Los Angeles. She's interesting and even though she betrays him, she's likable in her own way. She's obsessed with fame which is the problem.
I was involved with someone many years ago, attractive, but obsessed with fame. He never got anywhere near that because he failed to realize that people in theater do it because they love it. If fame comes, it comes, most will never see it, but those who stay with it love theater for its own sake.
Her role is small, but Judy Tenuta puts some real bite into her couple of scenes as a washed up has been actress who also drugged out on fame and celebrity.
Going Down In LA-LA Land is one interesting take on gay life among the aspiring on the west coast.
