Joanna Crane (Kathleen Turner) is a fashion designer by day and prostitute China Blue by night. Reverend Peter Shayne (Anthony Perkins) is a crazy street preacher who rails against the grungy downtown sex shops. Bobby Grady (John Laughlin) and his wife Amy Grady (Annie Potts) are unhappily married with kids. Joanna's boss suspects someone is stealing from his company. He hires Bobby to follow Joanna day and night.
Director Ken Russell struggled to get away from the X-rating. The movie also struggled for pacing. It has the edgy sexual elements, but quite frankly, some of the sexual scenes grind the movie to a halt. Some scenes are shot like long uncut static stage plays. It has a pretty good setup, but there are also a lot of nothingness in the middle. It has some great actors. Most of all, it has the sex-bomb It girl of the moment, Kathleen Turner. Laughlin is probably the least compelling actor of the lot. Despite Annie Potts' best efforts, I don't care about their troubled marriage. From time to time, there are scenes like the dying man which jolts me to attention. In the end, this is an uneven movie which tries very hard to be edgy. Finally, the ending has a derivative comedic feel on a star which recalls a superior movie.
Director Ken Russell struggled to get away from the X-rating. The movie also struggled for pacing. It has the edgy sexual elements, but quite frankly, some of the sexual scenes grind the movie to a halt. Some scenes are shot like long uncut static stage plays. It has a pretty good setup, but there are also a lot of nothingness in the middle. It has some great actors. Most of all, it has the sex-bomb It girl of the moment, Kathleen Turner. Laughlin is probably the least compelling actor of the lot. Despite Annie Potts' best efforts, I don't care about their troubled marriage. From time to time, there are scenes like the dying man which jolts me to attention. In the end, this is an uneven movie which tries very hard to be edgy. Finally, the ending has a derivative comedic feel on a star which recalls a superior movie.