Part mockumentary and part nostalgia trip, Darryl Yap's "Pornstar" is a humorous tribute on the golden era of the country's local softcore porn industry. It also rejuvenates the careers of the lead actresses whose former notoriety as "bomba" stars have since unfortunately dimmed.
The movie works because it somehow demystifies the aura around these showbiz personalities. It explores their various travails as sexy entertainers and in how they cope being labelled as "laos" (has beens), usually cast as mothers in mushy soap operas or (in the case of Alma Moreno) running for public office. The film at times, is like a talk show and even a therapy session. It's also very spontaneous and impromptu; lots of ideas are presented, stream of consciousness style. The playful banter between the actresses seem unrehearsed. Yap's film also works better if the viewer is kind of, in the know about these actresses' life stories. I don't see millennials actually relating to the onscreen drama as only those who grew up watching these actresses' films would somehow connect on a more meta level.
The movie works because it somehow demystifies the aura around these showbiz personalities. It explores their various travails as sexy entertainers and in how they cope being labelled as "laos" (has beens), usually cast as mothers in mushy soap operas or (in the case of Alma Moreno) running for public office. The film at times, is like a talk show and even a therapy session. It's also very spontaneous and impromptu; lots of ideas are presented, stream of consciousness style. The playful banter between the actresses seem unrehearsed. Yap's film also works better if the viewer is kind of, in the know about these actresses' life stories. I don't see millennials actually relating to the onscreen drama as only those who grew up watching these actresses' films would somehow connect on a more meta level.