Amanda Seyfried plays 1970s porn star Linda Lovelace in this biopic of two halves. The first part is a pacy, funny look at the New Yorker’s rise to fame; the second reflects Lovelace’s own darker version of the story – a tale of exploitation and abuse.
The story begins as a relatively innocent Linda meets and marries Chuck (Peter Sarsgaard), who schools her in the art of fellatio and discovers she has a unique talent. The murky lights of the porn industry beckon and ‘Deep Throat’ – the first fully scripted adult film – is a huge hit. All of which is interesting and fun, but Linda's feelings are rarely revealed: that’s left to the gloomy final act, which feels more like a guilt-inducing postscript than a genuine reveal (especially for those familiar with Lovelace’s already well-publicised story). Seyfried is fine but has little character depth to work with: Sarsgaard impresses with a more complex character, as does a barely recognisable Sharon Stone as Linda’s bitter mother. If only the whole film were as well-rounded.