These days, the notion of a pornographic movie not just scoring a major theatrical release but becoming a box office sensation is inherently absurd, although 2013’s biopic Lovelace sought to dive deep into both the triumph and tragedy that comes with the attention brought by becoming an overnight sensation.
1972’s Deep Throat earned at least $30 million from domestic theaters, which is the equivalent to well over $200 million when adjusted for inflation, comfortably making it the most profitable porno there’s ever going to be. However, star Linda Lovelace revealed in the aftermath that she’d been coerced and threatened into starring in the film.
Using the darkest moments of her life as a springboard to personal and spiritual reinvention, the star would become a born-again Christian and a staunch spokesperson for the anti-pornography movement. At the time, Lovelace was seen a symbolism for hedonism and sexual freedom, but when her version of events came to the surface, it painted a defining moment in counterculture history in an altogether different light.
Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of Amanda Seyfried in the lead role, Lovelace didn’t really do its subject justice. Reviews were ever so slightly above average, while directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman could only stand idly by and watch the biographical drama crash and burn in theaters, where it brought in less than $2 million.
However, there has been an upswing on streaming this week, with FlixPatrol outing Lovelace as one of the most-watched features on the Starz charts heading into the weekend, so the sinister machinations of a pop culture milestone are being witnessed by a brand new audience as we speak.